


Why Can't It Be Me?

by arthurpendragonz



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-07
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-18 01:23:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 35,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/874076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arthurpendragonz/pseuds/arthurpendragonz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elena needs a time out before she loses it completely. When Stefan's caught on human blood at the Miss Mystic Falls dance it's the push that forces her to get away. She needs time alone but what happens when Damon comes along for the ride. AU/POST S1EP19.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Decision

Elena Gilbert was mad. Strike that, she was absolutely furious. She'd thought they were done with all the lies, thought that their relationship meant more than his demons from the past. She felt as if she was constantly fighting to keep them from falling apart and it was destroying her inside.

She loved him more then she'd ever loved anyone and she thought that he was it. Her missing piece in the jumbled up jigsaw that was her life. Her Stefan who'd rescued her from the darkest moments of her parents death.

It was bad enough that she'd basically been stood up in front of the whole town at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. But to realise that the reason Damon had had to rescue her from embarrassment was because Stefan had lied about being over human blood was, just, too much. He knew how much it meant to her, to her mum and he'd ruined it.

Well, ruined may have been slightly dramatic. She'd had fun with Damon as much as she hated to admit it. He'd been civil and charming and made her smile genuinely for the first time in god knows how many weeks.

It scared her though. How easy it was to get lost in his eyes, his embrace, him. When he'd danced with her the world had ceased to exist in her eyes. It was just him and her and the music. She'd tried to focus on Stefan, how it felt when he'd held her and danced with her in the practice sessions but recalling that only made her compare the two brothers. She'd realised for the first time that something was missing in her relationship with Stefan and this frustrated her because when she'd danced with Damon everything was...well...right. Perfect actually. So she'd shut off from him as soon as the music had stopped. Elena had pushed down her emotions and buried them in the darkest corner of her heart.

She was supposed to love Stefan and only Stefan. He was 'The One'. She was not supposed to feel anything other than sisterly affection for the eldest Salvatore. He was her friend only. Her best friend now that Bonnie was hardly acknowledging her existence and Caroline was too busy focusing on Matt.

But sometimes, when it was just the two of them, there'd be a moment where she'd look at him and he'd look back and she'd wish he was more than just her friend. That she'd met him first and that she wouldn't have to constantly fight the connection she felt towards him.

She knew even if she gave in nothing would ever come of it. He only wanted her in the first place because she looked like Katherine. He enjoyed trying to steal her away from Stefan but she'd never once wavered in her conviction. She loved Stefan. That was who she was supposed to love. Who she wanted to love. So why did it feel like an up hill battle just to stay with him?

She cared for Damon. Seeing him outside the tomb when he'd found out Katherine had never even been in there, never even looked for him for 145 years, broke her heart. She'd never understood why he'd done the things he'd done until that moment. It was love that drove him and it was love that he needed to feel just to make the pain stop.

Elena had never seen so much agony reflected in someones eyes as she had in Damon's that night. He'd looked so lost and broken that she'd honestly thought he would crumble right there in front of her. So she'd hugged him. It was all she could do though she wished she could do so much more because she'd seen him. The real him. He hid it so well from everyone else but he couldn't hide it from her.

She'd known, in the few conversations Stefan had reluctantly shared with her about their past, that their father, Guiseppe Salvatore, was a harsh man. Stefan was his pride and joy and Damon was the thorn in his side. Elena had realised during their talks that the only person in nearly 170 years that had truly cared for Damon was his mother. The world had been cruel to Damon Salvatore and his actions from the moment he had turned were his defence mechanism, his revenge.

He needed to love and be loved back just once. But it couldn't be her and that thought tore at her heart because some small part of her, a part which was growing bigger every moment she spent with him, wanted it to be her. She knew he didn't want her that way, that he was just her friend because she reminded him of what he had once shared with Katherine, but he'd been nicer to her than she'd expected after the way he'd treated people when he first came to town.

She also knew that even if Damon did love her she could never be with him because she wasn't Katherine and she'd made her choice; it was Stefan, it would always be Stefan.

She pulled her self out of her musings with a frustrated yell. She needed a break from all the supernatural in her life. A time out, 5 minutes. The memory made her smile. It was a good 5 minutes that trip to Georgia. It was the last time she could remember feeling like herself. Admittedly, she hadn't actually wanted to go (she'd been kidnapped really) but it was still the most fun she'd had since her parents had died.

She shook her head and walked over to her wardrobe, pulling it open and rummaging around the floor for her overnight bag. She needed space before she went crazy.


	2. I Don't Want To Go Alone

2 hours later she was finishing packing her suitcase after deciding her overnight bag wasn't big enough for the amount of clothes she planned to take. She'd realised 5 minutes just wasn't long enough to sort through her mixed up thoughts and erratic feelings.

After promising Jenna that she'd call every day, her aunt had finally relented to letting her go. She was nearly 18, school had just finished and she was using her own money so Jenna really couldn't argue.

John had been another story. He'd tried everything to make her stay until she'd eventually walked back upstairs, slammed her bedroom door and refused to talk to him anymore. He was her uncle and as far as she was concerned he had absolutely no authority over her actions.

She had called Caroline and Bonnie to let them know what she was doing, neither had been surprised and Elena thought she heard a hint of sympathy and a little less judgement in Bonnie's voice when she'd told her to take all the time she needed.

She had tried to call Stefan but he'd either left his phone at home or was ignoring her calls so she'd left a message explaining her absence and promising they'd talk about it when she got back.

Elena knew she was being selfish in going away but she couldn't deal with the drama anymore and just wanted to be alone for a little while. She didn't know where she was going or how long she'd be gone but that was the point. She wanted to be the old Elena again, just for a little while, before life caught up with her again and dragged her back, kicking and screaming, to face her problems.

"Elena, your uncle John just left. Me and Jeremy are going out now so I just wanted to say goodbye before we went out. Be careful and call me so I know that you're okay. Have you decided where you're going yet?" Aunt Jenna asked.

"No. I'm just going to drive for a little bit and clear my head. I'll probably stop off at a motel and decide where I'm going later tonight."

"Okay, do you know when you'll be back?" Jenna asked, worry colouring her tone.

"No, but I promise I won't be gone long and if I am I will be back before the start of term."

"Elena that's not very exact. There's two months from now until school starts again, what's got you so worked up that you might need 2 months to sort it out?" She asked, brows creasing in concern.

"I can't explain Jenna, just trust me please. I'll be safe and I'll be back soon but I need to do this."

Seeing the desperation in her nieces eyes Jenna sighed and reached out to hug Elena.

"Okay." Jenna relented. "You are a teenager and I know how overwhelmingly crazy it is being your age. Just promise not to emulate my teenage years and we'll be okay."

"I promise." Elena smiled.

Jenna pulled away and gave Elena one last searching look before saying her goodbye and walking out of the room. Elena sighed and sat down wondering where she'd go first.

After going over possible destinations in her mind and rejecting each one she shook her head, smiled and stood up. She turned to get her suitcase from next to the bed, deciding she'd figure it out whilst she was driving.

"Going somewhere?" A familiar voice said from right behind her making her jump slightly.

She cursed inwardly. She should have known she couldn't skip town without him knowing.

"Yes, Damon, I am." Elena replied smoothly whilst trying to calm her racing heart.

"Care to share where, Elena?" Damon asked stepping closer and invading her personal space.

"Nowhere in particular I just need to get away from this place and everyone in it."

"Everyone?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side studying her. "Or a particular...someone?" He said with a slight smirk.

Elena remained silent, annoyed that he'd managed to see through her so easily. How did he always know?

"Thought so." Damon chuckled.

Elena huffed angrily and grabbed the handle of her suitcase before wheeling it across her bedroom floor towards the door.

Damon appeared in front of her just as she was reaching for the handle.

"Don't I get a goodbye?" He asked staring intently at Elena's face.

She met his eyes and once again found herself falling into their blue depths. There was an intensity there routing her to the spot, preventing her from looking away. If she hadn't been wearing her vervain necklace she'd have thought he was compelling her.

Suddenly, she realised that she didn't really want to go alone. She needed someone with her who could take her mind off of everything.

She stared at Damon wondering whether she was going to regret the decision she was about to make but then she remembered Georgia and she knew that the only way she'd regret it would be if she didn't ask him.

"Damon." She asked quietly.

"Yes, Elena?" Damon replied.

"Would you like to come with me?"

A thousand emotions flickered across his face as she finished speaking; confusion, shock, happiness, longing and...hope, before he settled on his usual calm and collected facade. He stared at her, searching her face for any signs of indecision. Finding none he chuckled lightly and spoke slowly as if weighing his words so as not to scare her into changing her mind.

"Why me? Caroline, Bonnie, Stefan...hell even Matt would be much better choices, safer choices, but why are you asking me?" He seemed genuinely confused so she answered him truthfully.

"Because I don't want them to come. You are the only one I can be me around. I don't have to pretend with you because you see through it. Caroline and Matt are too busy with each other, Bonnie's not speaking to me properly and Stefan...look forget I asked okay. I just thought...never mind. Goodbye, Damon." She felt her face grow hot under his scrutiny and moved to walk past him but he sidestepped her and she was forced to stop again.

"I didn't say no. If you want me to come with you I will." Damon smiled slightly and wiggled his eyebrows causing Elena to laugh and shake her head.

"Just give me 20 minutes okay. I need to pack and organise some stuff and then we can go. How long were you planning on going for anyway?"

"A couple of days at least, 2 months at the most. I haven't really decided yet."

"Two months it is and I'm going to make it the best two months of your life." Damon winked and started making his way towards the window.

"I didn't say two months I said up to." Elena sighed exasperated.

"Trust me even after two months with me you'll want it to be longer." He smirked again and wiggled his eyebrows seductively. "20 minutes." He smiled and leaped out of the window.

Elena laughed softly, amazed at his over confidence and ridiculously large ego. It was going to be a very long two months.


	3. Chances

Damon was ecstatic. He'd never felt this excited in nearly 200 years. Here he was packing for a trip away with Elena, just the two of them, for two whole months. No distractions, no drama, no Stefan...just them.

He couldn't describe the way he was feeling right now. Hell, if he was human he'd probably be jumping for joy at this moment. God, he was whipped but dammit if he wasn't going to throw everything he had into making Elena see that he was the better choice. She needed someone who matched her, challenged her, brought her to life.

He'd seen her with Stefan. Stefan made her smile but Damon made her laugh. Stefan fought to hide his true nature, Damon embraced it and never pretended to be the hero for her. Stefan covered up the truth to spare her feelings, Damon was brutally honest because he knew sugar coating the truth only made it worse when reality came crashing down. She needed a man, not a boy, and Damon was her equal in every sense of the word. He just had to make her see it.

He'd been surprised to say the least when she'd asked him to come. He'd found himself in The Grill replaying that dance with Elena in his head over and over again when John had walked in fuming and having a very heated phone conversation with Jenna about Elena going on a trip.

At first he'd assumed it was a make-or-break (hopefully break) trip with Stefan following his relapse back to human blood. He'd been prepared for a depressing few weeks without her. Then, when John had complained about the dangers of her going alone, he'd downed the remainder of his drink and set off for her house.

He'd planned to either persuade her into letting him go with her or following her anyway just for the hell of it, but for her to actually ask him directly without him even mentioning wanting to go with her. It amazed him how she constantly took him by surprise just when he thought he'd got her all figured out. She was a mystery to him and he couldn't get enough of her.

He wondered what Stefan would say when he found out his girlfriend had left town on another road trip with his brother and couldn't help but laugh at the expression he imagined would be on his face.

He soon sobered up though wondering whether she was still Stefan's girlfriend. She'd avoided talking about it when he'd brought it up so he'd just have to get it out of her during their little trip.

He wanted to know where they'd go. There were loads of places he wanted to take her; Rome and his villa there, Paris, St Tropez, Dubai. Hell he'd even take her to the Maldives if she'd let him. He was still busy wondering if she'd let him take her outside of America when he heard the front door slam and Stefan's footsteps coming up the stairs.

He debated about whether he should tell Stefan where he was going and, more importantly, who he was going with, but decided that it would only delay their trip and possibly cause Elena to rethink it if he found out before they'd left.

Stefan knocked on Damon's bedroom door and opened it cautiously. Peering inside he looked quizzically at Damon and his expression hardened when his gaze fell on the open suitcase on his bed.

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"Away." Damon replied smirking.

"I can see that, but where?" Stefan repeated rolling his eyes in frustration.

"I don't know yet, but I'm leaving soon." Damon shrugged.

"What did you tell Liz after I..." Stefan trailed of uncomfortably, bowing his head in guilt.

"After you tried to make a Miss Mystic juice box out of Amber? I didn't say anything. She knows it was a vampire that attacked her but I told her that I got there at the same time as Elena and Bonnie. Alaric came out to see what was happening and that by the time we got there whoever had attacked her was gone." He closed his wardrobe and turned to face Stefan.

"Then why are you suddenly leaving if no one suspects us?"

"Because I am."

"But why?" Stefan pressed.

"An interesting...offer has come up and I just can't say no." He smirked wanting to play on Stefan's reactions now knowing that by the time he found out about what he was really doing he'd be long gone.

"What offer?" Damon could tell Stefan was struggling to reign in his anger which only made him smirk more.

"I could tell you but I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

Stefan leant against the door frame and shook his head. "Can't you ever just answer a question like a normal person?"

"Nope." He grinned.

"Have you seen Elena?" Stefan asked wearily.

"Not since we found you in the woods after the Miss Mystic Falls dance, no." Damon lied smoothly shrugging his shoulders. "Why?"

"She's been ringing me and she's left messages, but I can't face listening to her disappointment. I've ignored them but I need to know that she's okay." He said it with such pain that Damon almost, almost, felt sorry for him.

"Well it's not my job to go checking up on everyone you've upset, I'm not a couples councellor. I've got more important things to do, so, see ya." Damon zipped up his suitcase, picked it up and exited his bedroom leaving Stefan standing there shaking his head.

Damon had just finished loading his suitcase and blood bag container into the car and was heading back inside for his jacket when Stefan appeared in front of him.

"When will you be back?" He asked folding his arms across his chest and fixing Damon with a stare that reeked of parental authority.

"Jeez, Stefan what are you, my dad?" Stefan winced slightly at the mention of their father but refused to look away.

"What's with the twenty questions? I go where I want, when I want and I don't have to give you a run down of my plans. All you need to know is I'm going out of town for a couple of months so don't rent out my room." Damon pushed Stefan out of the way, grabbed his jacket and sped to his car.

"Dinner's in the fridge, don't stay up too late, try not to go on a killing spree and don't answer the door to strangers. Oh, and it was Elena's idea." Damon smirked and gunned the engine, reversing out of the drive and speeding off towards Elena's house, leaving a very confused and angry looking Stefan dumbstruck behind him.


	4. Oh, Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is basically a reposting of work I did about 2 years ago :) I'd appreciate any feedback as I'd like to get back into writing fics more regularly :) Enjoy!

Elena never thought it was possible to feel this nervous. After Damon had left she'd realised how wrong it was to go off alone with her boyfriends brother for two months. She knew it was stupid and selfish and completely inappropriate but she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty about it. She wanted to go with him because lately he was the only one she didn't have to act around. She needed this. Needed him and it absolutely terrified her.

The whole town, her friends, her family, even Stefan treated her like she could do no wrong. Like she was this perfect role model for girls everywhere. She wasn't. She was just Elena. She'd changed from the girl she was before her parents death. She was quieter, more reserved, less active at public events, withdrawn and...well, to be honest, boring. But Damon brought her to life, he made her...better...brighter...happier. She could be the old Elena, the fun, laid back, carefree Elena. The real Elena. But only with him.

She tried not to analyse that information too closely. He was her friend. Only her friend. She wondered when the hell they became so close. When was the moment where she stopped hating him and started relying on him? When did he stop being Stefan's brother and start being Elena's closest friend? How had he managed to get her in a way that no one else ever had?

"Boo."

Elena almost sky rocketed off of the bed in fright. She clutched her chest and took a deep breath to calm herself back down when she realised who it was.

"Damon, you have got to stop doing that. Do you want to kill me?" Elena asked irritated.

"Now why would I kill you when we're about to go on a super, awesome, kick-ass getaway?" Damon asked grinning.

"Seriously? A super, awesome, kick-ass getaway. What are you, like, five years old?" Elena rolled her eyes.

"You and I both know I am much, much older than that." He wiggled his eyebrows and stepped closer to her.

"I still can't get over the fact that you're 172 years old...it's just...creepy." She shuddered and started shoving the clothes she'd decided not to pack back into her wardrobe.

"I know and I still look so hot." Damon sauntered towards her. "I don't know how you're managing to keep your hands off of me to be honest," He stopped directly in front of her and slowly leaned in, whispering into her ear. "I mean, if I were you, I'd do me."

Elena fought to control her heartbeat and steady her quickening breaths. How did he do this to her? She was practically a puddle melting at his feet. She swallowed thickly and took a step back. "Sorry, you're not my type." She stammered, inwardly cringing at how out of breath she sounded.

He smirked knowingly and closed the gap between them again, leaning in so that there lips were almost touching. "Liar." He breathed, slowly ghosting is hand up her side and caressing her cheek. "I'm everyone's type."

"Ugh. You are just...so...ugh!" She shoved him away shaking her head furiously to lift the fog currently clouding her brain.

"Sexy, charming, devilishly good looking. Hey, you're not the first person to become speechless in my presence. I tend to have that effect on people. It's my...charm." He winked and, damn, Elena thought, if he wasn't downright gorgeous when he did that.

"No, try irritating, self obsessed and pig headed. I may not be the first person to be so angry at you I physically can't form words but I will be the first to kick your ass out the door if you don't deflate that overly large ego of yours."

"You can do whatever you want with my ass, Elena." He smirked but backed away sensing she really would kick him out if he pushed her too far.

"Real mature, Damon." She rolled her eyes and shut her wardrobe door before scanning the room to make sure she hadn't left anything she needed to take.

"I know, I am, aren't I."

"Right. So are we going to go sometime soon or are we just going to stand here arguing about who's more mature because you know I'll win." Elena smiled before turning her back on Damon walking out the door and down the stairs. She was tempted to stick out her tongue but decided that would just contradict her whole comeback, which Damon would be sure to point out.

Damon shook his head, still smiling and followed her, carrying her suitcase down the stairs with him and placing it in the hallway beside the front door. He was pleased to find that it was quite heavy meaning she'd taken him seriously when he'd said they should go for the whole two months. He wondered what else she could be persuaded to do.

He turned around, making his way down the hallway and looked towards the kitchen where he heard her rummaging in the cupboards. Walking in he found her packing a bag with snack food. He noticed all of her favourite foods in the bag and some of his too.

"How long are you planning to stay in the car?" Damon asked quizzically raising an eyebrow whilst walking over and sitting on the bar stool.

"Ha ha, Damon. I don't know where we're going or how long it will take to get there so I want to be prepared. I'll need comfort food if I'm going to be spending hours in a car with you." She smiled and turned to face him.

"Ouch, you invited me remember." Damon clutched his chest feigning hurt and continued, "Anyway, about that, I was wondering whether you'd let me plan the locations in this little trip." He gave her his best adorable pout that usually made women fall at his feet and agree to anything he suggested.

She rolled her eyes clearly unimpressed. Damn she was a tough egg to crack. "Depends on where you had in mind." Elena replied cautiously.

"Well, does it have to be entirely confined to America because there are a few places I think you'd love." He really hoped the answer was no, it didn't, because if they were going to do this he wanted to go all out. It was his only chance at winning her over, because if she still rejected him after this, there was no hope of them ever crossing the 'just friends' line that had been so carefully drawn since they'd first met.

"Well no, but I'm on a budget so tell me where you had in mind and I'll let you know." She turned back around to pick up the newly packed bag before walking over to the cupboard under the stairs to retrieve her jacket.

Damon couldn't believe this girl. There was no way in hell he was going to let her pay for this trip. He wanted to treat her, god knows she deserved it after the shit he put her through when they first met. He cringed inwardly at the thought of how he'd hurt her only a few months ago but quickly shut those memories out, shaking his head. "Elena, I'm a multi-millionaire. Money really isn't an obstacle. Besides you're doing me a favour by taking me along so the least I can do is bankroll this party." Damon smiled and walked over to stand by the front door.

"Damon you don't need to pay for me. I can pay for myself." Elena walked to stand next to him and grabbed her suitcase from besides the stairs, disbelief etched on her features. He could see she was gearing up for an argument so he compromised, knowing that he'd persuade her eventually anyway, even if he had to hide her purse for the entirety of the trip.

"How about you pay for food and I pay for everything else." Damon smirked.

"You don't eat food so I'll only have to pay for mine." Elena shook her head in exasperation.

"Exactly, glad you agree. Now lets get going, we've got a flight to catch." He winked and took her suitcase from her before speeding to the car, putting it in the trunk and opening the front passenger side door for her.

"A flight? Where to?" Elena asked warily, crossing her arms and stubbornly meeting his gaze. God, she was so adorable when she was irritated. Damon mentally slapped himself. Adorable? Seriously? What was this girl doing to him?

"It's a surprise, now are we going or not?" Damon laughed at her expression and motioned with his hand for her to get in to the car.

"Fine." Elena sighed resigned to whatever Damon had in mind. She could already tell that she wasn't going to be getting her way very much on this trip. It was almost as if he'd asked her to come along the way he was planning everything. She wondered if he'd ever given much thought to going on a trip with her again since Georgia, but decided he was probably just used to round the world getaways. By the sounds of it he was also used to getting his own way and she was just going to have to see what could be done about changing that. Smirking slightly to herself as she walked towards him and got into the car. This was going to be fun.

The ride to the airport was relatively short and spent in comfortable silence, the radio being the only thing to make any noise. They'd already had a teasing argument about which station was better, with them both having differing opinions. Elena had kept changing the station every time Damon focused back on the road, causing his face to twitch in suppressed amusement before rearranging his features into a mock angry glare that had Elena inwardly giggling.

"My car, my radio, my choice. I will stake myself if I have to listen to one more cheesy pop song. I mean seriously, you call this music." He scrunched his face up in disgust and changed the station.

"Look, just because you've been alive since music was invented, doesn't mean you're an expert on what's actually decent." She smirked and changed the station again, challenging him with her eyes.

"Ha ha, very funny Elena. I'm older which means I'm wiser, so actually I know these things and those songs you call music sound more like nails being scraped down a blackboard. I mean, come on, Justin Bieber? Your generation made him an international pop star, you really have no taste. The guy looks like a girl on hormone treatment." He shuddered and changed the station again. "You see, this is a band."

"Muse? They're so depressing. Seriously, I'd rather slit my wrists than listen to that crap." She rolled her eyes, reaching to switch the station over again before he lightly slapped her hand back.

"Well if you're offering I could do that much more enjoyably." He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Elena blushed, damn him, and smacked his arm.

"Kidding, Elena, geez if that hadn't felt about as damaging as a feather I'd say you needed to talk to someone about your abusive tendencies." He smirked and pulled up at the airport, turning the engine off and getting out to grab their bags.

"If anyone needs to talk to a therapist it's you." She stepped out of the car and pulled on her jacket, glancing around before locating the entrance. She started towards it before she felt Damon come up behind her and lightly tap her on the shoulder.

"It's this way." He jerked his head to the side in the opposite direction to where she was heading.

"But that's the entrance." Elena said confused.

"Yeah, it is, for normal passengers. We're VIP's." He chuckled at her 'oh god here we go' expression.

"And that means..?" She trailed off unsure of whether she wanted to know what that meant or not.

"It means, we get to travel in style." He winked and started walking towards a smaller entrance she hadn't seen before, beckoning her to follow him.

She reluctantly obliged and gingerly made her way towards him, dreading what she'd find on the other side of the door. She probably should have known he wouldn't do anything like a normal person, hell the fact he was a vampire should have probably tipped her off, his entire existence wasn't normal, but sometimes she completely forgot what he was and how dangerous he was when he was around her. He was just Damon.

She followed him through the door and along a corridor before stopping in utter disbelief at what awaited her on the other side of the glass. He really was going to get his ass kicked if he thought she was getting on THAT...


	5. Here We Go

"We are not going in that!" Elena exclaimed, horror struck. "It's ridiculous!"

"It's a plane, Elena. What did you think we were going in?" Damon laughed.

"It's a private jet!" She argued gesturing towards it as though it was offensive.

"It's mine, what's the problem?" Seeing she was about to argue further, he walked back towards her. "Look, I want where we're going to be a surprise and I can't keep it a secret if we're flying with 300 other people. Unless you want me to compel them all?" Damon took her hand and strode towards the steps, depositing their suitcases next to a member of staff and carrying their remaining bags on to the plane.

Elena lost her train of thought when his hand clasped hers. It was like an electric shock passed between them which immediately kick started her heart into a frantic rhythm. She gasped quietly and followed him on to the plane. She started laughing when she noticed the fully stocked bar at the back of the plane.

"What?" Damon asked, reluctantly releasing her hand and bending down to put their bags on one of the seats.

Elena felt a momentary feeling of loss as they broke contact before she shook her head and answered him. "You can't even last a plane journey without needing alcohol."

"Hey, for all you know we could be on this plane for a full day." Damon smirked and sat down on one of the seats in the middle of the cabin. He pressed a button on the side of the seat and reclined back. "Wanna join me?" He opened his arms and winked.

Elena rolled her eyes and took the seat opposite him. She ignored his offer and settled for staring out of the window at the other planes taking off. Damon just chuckled and returned his seat to its original position.

Just then the pilot came out of the cockpit and addressed Damon. "Mr. Salvatore we're ready to go. We should reach our destination in around 11 hours."

Damon nodded and the pilot turned around and walked back in to the cockpit.

"11 hours?" Elena asked.

"Trust me, it'll be worth it." Damon smiled. "So, what shall we do to pass the time?" He wiggled his eyebrows for what seemed like the hundredth time (how did it still make her heart flutter?) and leaned towards her.

"We are not doing that, Damon." She flushed a little shaking her head.

"What, Elena?" He raised his eyebrows in mock puzzlement before pretending to be shocked. "You weren't thinking...somebody's got a dirty little mind. Hey, if you wanna see me naked, all you have to do is ask." He smiled suggestively and leaned in further, gazing intently in to her eyes almost with a silent plea to just let go and give in.

The atmosphere around them had turned from playful and flirty to heavy and thick with anticipation and electricity. It was almost palpable and set Elena's nerve endings on fire. She was burning in his gaze and she wasn't sure if she wanted those flames to be extinguished. He was magnetic. They were magnetic. Elena didn't know how she could possibly fight her attraction to him without anyone with them to break their little bubble of chemistry.

Annoyingly, she realised that she connected in every way to Damon's personality. They physically fit together from what she'd heard from the few snippets of conversation about their dancing at the Miss Mystic Falls contest. She felt her body reacting to him every time he was near. It was almost instinctual. Her body recognised his presence before her eyes had time to find his face.

Her heart beat faster, her breathing became quicker and she mentally had to force herself to calm down when he was around her. Every tiny touch, whether it was a simple brush of their hands or a protective (and, Elena had to admit, sexily possessive) hand on the small of her back when he was guiding her forwards in to a room, made her feel like she was on fire. Her skin would tingle with pleasure and she could practically feel her eyes darken with the desire she felt for him in those moments. Stefan had never affected her as strongly as Damon did. Even when she was sleeping with him.

Ordinarily, she would have put these desires she felt towards him down to mere lust. You'd have to be blind not to recognise the raw sex appeal Damon exuded without even trying. From his mess of raven black hair to his soul piercing electric blue eyes, Damon Salvatore was sex on legs. He had the most beautiful lips she'd ever seen and more than once she'd had to scold herself for staring at them. Even his arrogance turned her on.

But it was more than that. More than just physical attraction. He brought out her passion, her fire, her spirit. He made her stronger and braver. Even when they were arguing she felt alive and free. He pushed her and challenged her. He didn't hide the truth from her to spare her feelings but treated her like an equal, supporting her when she needed him but never letting her break completely. He made her get back up again and face the world no matter how badly she wanted to break down and hide. He let her live.

He was watching Elena struggling with these revelations with a curious expression on his face. She could see he wanted to ask her what she was thinking about so she quickly shook herself out of her mental stupor and cleared her throat.

"I think I'll pass. How about we watch some movies?" Elena suggested.

Deciding not to push the matter he moved back. "Fine but no chick flick or romantic comedy." He shuddered and proceeded towards a cabinet near the bar. "I'm thinking horror. How about Paranormal Activity 2? It's the only thing I haven't seen in this cabinet yet."

"Okay, I haven't seen it yet either." Elena shrugged.

Damon put the DVD into the player and pressed a button on the remote control causing a huge TV screen to drop down from the ceiling. He put the remote on the bar then turned to the bench next to it and pulled a fold out bed from beneath it. He positioned pillows and a blanket over it then turned to see Elena's dumbfounded expression.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked stifling a shocked giggle.

"What? It's a long film, we might as well get comfy." Damon shrugged and flopped down on the bed.

Shaking her head Elena got up from her seat and went to join him, bringing the bag with the remaining snack food she hadn't eaten on their way to the airport with her. She sat down putting as much distance as possible (which wasn't very much considering the bed was hardly a double) between herself and Damon and settled back to watch the movie.

Damon pressed play, then pushed another button on the remote dimming the lights in the cabin. Elena looked over at him to see him smiling with amusement at her reaction to the lights going out. With them off she felt ultra aware of the fact that she was in bed, with Damon sitting right next to her. Her heart had started to race again and it wasn't helped by the fact that Damon was smirking, letting her know that he knew exactly how fast her heart was beating at the moment and why. God, she was so screwed.


	6. They've Done What?!

An hour later Elena was practically hiding in Damon's chest after nearly jumping off of the bed when all of the cupboards in the film had flung open. He chuckled quietly and put his arm around her hugging her to him. She laughed and relaxed into his embrace, surprising Damon again. She really was a mystery to him.

He laid back further wondering how far she'd let him go but she didn't back away. Elena snuggled closer to him until she was practically laying across his chest. If his undead heart could have beat she would have felt it trying to leap from his chest.

He couldn't describe the feelings she stirred in him. He never cuddled. Yet he found himself feeling more relaxed and peaceful with her here than he had in over 150 years. She made him feel wanted, accepted and he found himself wishing that he wasn't just friends with this girl. He wanted her to be his. Only his.

He knew she only saw him as a friend but lately it was getting harder and harder to control his desires around her. He'd tried to fight his developing feelings but every time he thought he had them under control she'd walk in the room and he'd find himself struggling not to touch her, hold her, kiss her, love her.

Because the truth was he'd never wanted anything so much in his entire existence as he wanted Elena Gilbert. He'd realised that he was probably in love with her and it killed him that once again his love was unrequited. Why couldn't it be him, just once, who got the girl? Sure he could have any girl he wanted...but Elena. Make any girl fall in love with him...but Elena. Unfortunately, the only person he wanted on the whole damn planet was Elena and she wanted Stefan. It tore him apart to watch them together.

But wasn't it always Stefan? Katherine had loved him, he was the favourite son, most respected by the towns people when they were growing up, everyone who'd ever met them both constantly expressed their love for the youngest Salvatore and their hatred for the eldest.

He didn't want to be hated. He never had. It was just easier to pretend he didn't care, that he wanted this, wanted to be loathed and despised. If he let people in eventually they'd turn on him, betray him, hurt him. So he hurt them first. He killed, he tortured, he shut it off and it had worked.

Until he met her.

Elena Gilbert.

She made him human again. Made him feel things he'd forgotten existed. Guilt, pain, anguish, sadness and fear. The latter was not something he felt for himself, but for her. She was fragile, her life easily ended and he was terrified that one day it would end. Not because of an accident or an illness or even another mystical being hellbent on killing her. But because of him. He'd snap, lose his temper or just decide to shut it all off again and she'd pay the price for the monster within him.

But she also made him feel other things. Things he hadn't felt (Katherine excluded due to the fact that what she'd made him feel was all lies) since his mother had died. Happiness, hope, joy and love. He felt peaceful when she was with him. Whole. Like he belonged somewhere and that finally, finally, there was someone who actually understood him, knew him and all his flaws, yet still wanted him around. She accepted him like only his mother had and that made him feel like he was alive again.

Somewhere along the way she had become his reason for existing and he agonized over the day he'd finally screw up so bad she wouldn't be able to forgive him and he'd lose her forever. Because there was no way, after 165 years of being second best to his Saint of a brother, that he was going to beat him at anything. Least of all winning the heart of a girl as good and pure as Elena's.

But goddammit he would try. He would fight for her until the end of his existence and he would hold onto this smallest of hopes every day of forever, that one day she would look at him like he was her reason. That one day she would look at him with love in her chocolate brown eyes and tell him that this time his love wasn't unrequited. That this time he was loved back.

By her.

-VD-DELENA-VD-

Stefan was frantic. He'd called Caroline and Bonnie and nobody knew where Elena was. All he'd managed to get out of them was that Elena had gone away for a while and wasn't sure when she'd be back. He'd been by her house but there was no one home and he couldn't reach Jeremy or Alaric.

He considered calling Damon but decided against it. He didn't want to give him any excuses to come back and be around her again.

He'd seen them when they'd come back from Georgia. They were closer. He felt it when they looked at each other, had watched them when they were arguing. There was more to their relationship than just friendship but he knew Elena would never take it further.

Elena wasn't Katherine. She wouldn't toy with them. He knew this. It wasn't going to happen. Ever.

Still he wished that she still hated Damon for what he had done to Caroline but he knew he'd be just as deserving of her hatred after what he had done to Amber. He regretted it, truly he did, but a small part of him had relished in it. He enjoyed the chase, the kill, the blood.

He was a vampire. It was his nature but he couldn't keep Elena and give in to the constant blood lust that screamed through his veins every time a human was near.

A ripper. That was the term for a vampire like him. He didn't just feed, he tortured. He didn't compel his victims to enjoy his attack or keep quiet. He wanted them to be afraid, relished in their screams of terror and pain. He couldn't deny that he wanted to be the ripper he fought on a daily basis.

He envied his brothers control. Hated that he had taken to this...life so easily. He had watched Damon. Even in the months just after they had turned, Damon was able to stop before he killed.

Stefan had only ever seen him kill the very worst of the humans he preyed on. Never women. Only other predators. Even in his darkest of moods Damon reserved his rage for those who truly deserved it.

Stefan knew he was worse than his brother when it came to resisting their baser instincts. When he had first turned it didn't matter who the blood was coming from. Men, women, children. They had all been food to Stefan and he had felt no remorse for their deaths.

Until Lexi had come along.

She taught him to be better, more disciplined, more...human. He'd loathed her at first but eventually he had dealt with what he was and fought to become better.

He was furious at his brother for telling Elena. He knew why he had done it. Damon wanted Elena and Stefan wasn't an idiot. Damon didn't want her because she resembled Katherine. He wanted her because she made him feel again. He wanted to steal her away from him and there was no way that he would let Damon take her. She was his. Only his.

He slammed his fist into the steering wheel with frustration. Where the hell was she? Her voice mail's were vague when he'd eventually plucked up the courage to listen to them. She'd told him she couldn't do it anymore, that she needed time away. From him.

She couldn't be with him anymore. Translation; he was dumped.

He hated that he was losing her. He had to get her back and make her see that he could change. That her would change for her. For them.

He pulled up at The Grill and leaped out of his car, making his way towards the entrance. He'd just reached the door when Alaric, Jenna and Jeremy were walking out.

"Hi, Stefan." Jenna smiled brightly and proceeded to rummage through her bag for her car keys.

"Jenna." He nodded then turned towards Jeremy. "Do you know where Elena is? I've been trying to reach her but her phone's switched off."

Jeremy shrugged and started guiding Jenna towards her car. "She just said she needed to get away for a while, wouldn't tell us where she was going."

Stefan sighed in exasperation. How was he supposed to make this right if he couldn't even find her?

"Have you seen Damon? He was here earlier but he just left without saying anything." Alaric asked.

"He left. Said he'd had an offer and was taking it up or something like that. He wouldn't tell me where he was going or how long he'd be, but knowing Damon I wouldn't expect him for a few months at least." Stefan shrugged and made to turn around, deciding to give up for tonight and try again tomorrow.

"What time did he leave?" Alaric asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

"Around 1:00pm. Why?" Stefan asked puzzled.

"Because Elena left at that time too." Alaric stated giving Stefan a knowing look.

Stefan continued to look confused before it clicked.

Shit.

Stefan, seething furiously, yanked his phone from out of his pocket and dialed Damon's number.

He was going to kill him.


	7. The Other Brother

Elena didn't know why she was so relaxed and comfortable lying across Damon's chest. She should have felt guilty in the knowledge that this would hurt Stefan if he found out. She should never have even accepted Damon's offer that she join him on the bed in the first place.

They were getting dangerously close to crossing that line and she didn't think she could step back again if they ever did. But it was just too damn easy to blur that line when she was around him.

Everything felt easy with them, in ways she'd never felt with Stefan or even Matt. Sure they argued every time they had a conversation, whether it was trivial or a matter of life and death (literally), but they always understood each others point of view even if they didn't agree.

They would both give their lives willingly and without thought to protect those they loved. There was no middle ground with either of them; you either gave all or you gave nothing. Damon's passion fueled Elena's and her humanity sparked his.

They were wrong in so many ways but Elena was realizing, with each passing day, that the amount of similarities they shared were starting to outweigh the differences. This angered her because the more she thought about it the more she realised that with Stefan it was the complete opposite.

In the beginning everything was perfect. They connected on a level she'd never experienced before, but the more she got to know him, the more she realised that they just weren't as compatible as it had first seemed.

He was always hiding one or more aspects of himself. Always trying to keep her in the dark. She understood why he had hidden his vampirism from her in the beginning. I mean, how do you tell that to someone. 'Oh, by the way, I drink blood to survive and I'm going to live forever. So, do you wanna hang out?' She scoffed at her thoughts.

It wasn't just his nature that he hid, it was anything and everything he thought she couldn't handle. He made her feel like a child. She wasn't innocent, she wasn't fragile and she would not break just because the world decided to throw such a dangerous reality at her.

She didn't regret getting involved with vampires. She never would. She could handle the truth but she couldn't bear the lies. Trust was something that could not easily be given back once it had been broken and Stefan had broken it a lot lately. So much that she didn't know whether she could trust him again.

Damon was the complete opposite. Since she had decided to trust him he had never broken it. Sure he'd pissed her off (a lot), made her question letting him get so close, but he had never hidden things from her. He was brutally honest even if the truth would hurt her. She respected him for that.

What scared her the most was her complete change in opinions towards each of them as time wore on. In the beginning she had been so sure that Stefan was the stable, secure, safe, reliable and good brother. Damon was dangerous, violent, remorseless, terrifying and evil.

Boy, how wrong she turned out to be. The personalities they both presented were acts. Stefan suppressed his nature, fighting it but never learning how to control it. His biggest weakness was, and would forever be; blood. Damon embraced what he was and had learned to control it. He pretended to be callous and uncaring. He suppressed his humanity because he secretly hated what he was. To him, he was a monster.

Elena was positive that the only reason he had ever wanted to become a vampire in the first place was because of Katherine. His love for her was blinding and reckless. Elena ached for the pain he must have felt when he'd discovered the truth behind Katherine's 'feelings'.

To the world the brothers were the very epitome of good vs evil. Her friends and family had labeled them as such almost as soon as they had met them. To Elena, there had always been one 'good' brother and one 'bad' brother. Only lately, she didn't know which one was which.

She tried to focus on the movie instead of dwelling on her complicated love life but whenever she started to relax and focus she remembered whose arms were currently wrapped around her and she found herself frustrated once again.

Damon was absentmindedly playing with her hair, twirling the ends around the tips of his fingers and gently scrunching them, sending little tingling sensations rushing to her head. His every touch set her skin on fire and she wondered why Stefan never made her feel this way.

He continued to gently caress her hair causing Elena to further relax into his embrace. She couldn't help it. He was like that extra piece of chocolate cake you know you shouldn't eat but you find yourself gazing at hungrily anyway. She wanted to reach for it almost desperately but she held herself back because she feared the consequences her actions would bring.

If she let herself fall she wasn't sure if she'd have the strength to find the safety net to land back on to. She wasn't even sure if she wanted the strength to land on it at all.

Falling for him was the easy part. Loving him, well, that was a whole new level of insanity she wasn't ready for. She didn't know if she'd ever be ready for what that meant. Didn't even know if he wanted her in that way.

It didn't matter, she berated herself, it would never happen. She was with Stefan, always would be. She could never be with Damon because she would never be Katherine. Elena may look like her but she would rather die than act like her.

The movie was nearing its end and she found herself disappointed that in a few moments she would have to move away from him again. It was beginning to annoy her that whenever they got truly comfortable with each other the moment had to end because of the way it was supposed to be.


	8. Pillow Fight

"Jesus Elena. Do you think you could scream a little louder, they didn't hear you on the other side of the planet."

Elena punched him in the arm and laughed at herself for getting so scared. "Shut up. You even jumped when he hit the camera so don't pretend I'm the only one who just got scared."

"I did not jump, I winced. Vampire hearing is not an advantage when sitting next to a screaming girl. Honestly, I think you might have just deafened me." He rubbed his ears and shuddered.

Elena laughed and muttered "Baby." before reaching across him for the remote control to turn off the T.V.

"Excuse me. What did you just say Miss Gilbert?" Damon grabbed her wrists and spun Elena around so she was laying on his chest facing towards him.

"Nothing." She smirked, attempting to compose herself and stop her racing heart from leaping from her chest. She inhaled quietly before trying to wriggle free from his grasp.

"Oh really." Damon flipped her over so her back was against the mattress and hovered above her, pinning her wrists above her head. "I think you're lying." He whispered quietly in her ear.

Elena gasped at the sensation of his warm breath in her ear but managed to answer him in a steady voice. "And I thought you were deaf."

"Touchè. Apologize and I'll forget you just insulted me."

"And what if I don't want to apologize?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders and removed one of his hands from her wrists, keeping them above her head with the other. "Then I'll just have to make you." He smirked devilishly and began to tickle her relentlessly.

Elena laughed until she couldn't breathe, trying everything she could to throw him off of her. She knew her struggles were ultimately pointless. There was no way she could get away from him unless he let her but she wasn't going to give in without at least trying.

"Okay...please...stop...can't...breathe." She panted trying to catch her breath before she passed out from laughing.

Damon removed his hand and waited for her breathing to slow and her heart rate to return to normal. She looked so beautiful with her hair messed up and her cheeks flushed. She was trying not to smile but he could see she was having more fun than she'd had in weeks and it was making her even more irresistible than normal.

She stared at him waiting until she had his full attention. Forcing herself to focus she took a deep breath and sat up slightly until her face was inches away from his.

Damon's breath caught as her eyes bored into his. She was edging closer and he could feel her warm breath on his lips. The sensation was driving him crazy and all he wanted was to close the gap between them but he knew she had to be the one to make the first move.

"I apologize. I was wrong to call you a baby for jumping...sorry...wincing," She rolled her eyes, "at the film. Forgive me?"

She looked at him with big, pleading eyes. How the hell did she manage to wrap him around her little finger so tightly? He wanted to make her beg a little more but found himself practically melting into a puddle at her feet.

"Fine, I forgive you." He sighed.

"I knew you would." Her answering smile was dazzling and he was about to roll his eyes when he felt something hit the back of his head before he was pushed sideways and on to his back.

Elena giggled and leaped up, holding a pillow in her hands and backing away slowly, a huge grin plastered across her face.

Damon's mouth was open in shock. How the hell had she managed to distract him enough for him to not hear her grab the pillow? He shook his head in amazement and smirked back at her, grabbing the remaining pillow from behind him and standing up.

"You're going to regret that, Gilbert."

"Not likely, Salvatore." She winked and ran forwards, hitting him with the pillow repeatedly and trying to dodge his pillow as it was hitting her back.

They were laughing and running around like maniacs, pillow fighting like pros. Eventually, they both fell on to the bed laughing like idiots and, in Elena's case, trying to catch their breath.

"So we've watched the movie, had a pillow fight, I think it's time for strip poker." Damon wiggled his eyebrows and gave Elena a seductive smile.

"Nuh huh. You are way too good at poker and there is no way I'm stripping my clothes off in front of you."

"I'll strip them off for you if you'd prefer." He winked and turned on his side, facing her.

"Tempting but no." Elena shook her head and sat up, leaning back against the headboard.

Damon pouted and attempted to sway her with his best puppy dog eyes.

"So not going to work, sorry." She smiled and shook her head.

"Fine. I've got two months to persuade you anyway." He winked and sat up next to her. "So, what now?"

"Well, there's still about 8 hours left of the flight so I thought I'd sleep for a while." Elena smiled and started positioning the cushions so she could lay down.

"What am I supposed to do whilst you sleep?" Damon scoffed.

"I'm not your personal source of entertainment, Damon. I'm spending two whole months with you and your crazy ideas. Trust me, I'll need all the sleep I can get."

"If by crazy you mean fun then I agree, but you can sleep when we get to the villa. It'll be too late to do anything anyway so you've got all night to rest, though if you want to stay up all night with me I'll have no objections." Damon winked and leaned towards her, staring at her intensely.

"Damon." She said warningly.

"Elena." He breathed.

"Ugh. You are so irritating!" Elena threw her arms in the air and sat up again. "Fine, what shall we do for 8 hours and, no Damon, we are not doing that." She hissed.

"Doing what, Elena?" He chuckled as she rolled her eyes and shrugged. "It'll happen eventually, you know."

"Could you be any more big headed? I love Stefan which means I will not be sleeping with you."

Damon winced slightly and whispered too quietly for her to hear, "You do love Stefan but you're in love with me, you just won't admit it." He shook his head and smiled sadly. "Let's play 20 questions. I'll ask 10, you ask 10. No lying, no avoiding the question, no exceptions. They can be about anything but no boring, easy stuff like favourite foods. We know all the basics about each other anyway so it'll be pointless." He sat up and turned towards her. "Unless of course you're too chicken to tell the truth." He smirked.

Elena knew where this was going and she also knew if she told the truth then this trip would spell the end of her and Stefan's relationship. Her feelings for Damon would not be pushed away again if she admitted them out loud. But Elena never backed down from a challenge and she wasn't going to start now.

"Okay, what do you want to know first?" She asked quietly, stubbornly jutting out her chin in a silent challenge. She was so going to regret this.


	9. Questions

"Why did you really ask me on this trip? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did but, it's just, I thought you only tolerated me because you go out with my brother." His face pinched in distaste as he mentioned Stefan but his eyes remained unflinching in their scrutiny.

"I told you. You are the only person who doesn't have this ridiculous notion that I should be happy all the time. You're the only one who understands that sometimes I just need 5 minutes to sort my head out and pull myself together. I don't have to pretend with you because you see right through it and call me out on it." Elena struggled with her next words but knew she had to be as honest with him as possible. "There's no one else I'd rather go on a round the world trip with either." She smiled genuinely, pleased when she saw him smile back with no hint of his usual smirk playing around his lips.

"Okay, my turn. Why did you agree to come? I mean there's got to be plenty of other things you'd rather be doing than coming with me. The last time we went on a trip I recall you only brought me along to annoy Stefan." She tried not to sound too put out by that fact since he'd become a lot nicer to her recently.

"As I recall you were pretty fun when we went to Georgia, Elena. I needed a break just as much as you and, as I said before, you're not the worst company in the world. In fact you are probably the only person in the whole world I could actually be around for 2 months without wanting to stake myself, and any excuse to get away from Stefan and his forehead of impending doom is fine by me." He smirked as she rolled her eyes at him. "What? You know it's true. If Stefan went 5 minutes without brooding the universe would implode."

Elena tried to stifle a laugh, managing to turn it into a half strangled cough. Damon didn't buy it for a second and continued to smirk at her reaction.

"He's not that bad." Elena defended weakly.

"Please, if you ask me, this blood bender might knock some sense into him."

Elena flinched, audibly gasping at his words.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't mean it like that. It's just..." He struggled to find the words needed to make her understand, "He's a vampire. It's in our nature to crave blood. Human blood. Stefan's been denying it for nearly 90 years now when he should have been learning to control it." He looked at her almost sympathetically before continuing.

"The Stefan you know is the knight-in-shining-armour-everybody's-best-friend Stefan. It's the bunny diet that keeps him...almost human. He still fights it everyday but he's balancing on an edge." He sighed and turned his body towards her, sitting up from against the headboard. "When he drinks human blood he falls off of that edge. There's a name for a vampire like Stefan when he drinks human blood. He's a ripper. The very worst kind of vampire."

He struggled, debating on whether to continue and tell her the full truth or leave it at that. He shook his head. He'd never kept the truth from her before and he wasn't about to start now.

"You have to understand. Vampires don't want to care, they don't want to feel. Most of us hide the humanity, but it's still there, just...buried. We can switch our feelings on and off as we choose. Rippers enjoy killing. They torture their prey, make them fear, make them run. It's like a game."

"Stefan was like that when he first turned. He killed anybody and everybody that came near him. I'm not saying I was any better, because believe me Elena, I wasn't. I learned to control it so I didn't have to kill if I didn't want to. But I did kill Elena. The only reason I'm not still killing now is because of you." He looked at her, willing her to realise that he was dangerous. Both Salvatore brothers were.

"I knew what I was getting myself into, Damon. I know you're dangerous but I also know that you won't hurt me." She stared back at him unflinchingly, determination flooding her features.

"Why do you trust me so much? I could hurt you, hell, I could kill you before you could even blink." He was slightly exasperated at her conviction.

"You won't hurt me. I know you and I trust you. Do you think I would have asked you to come with me if I didn't?" She was slightly annoyed. Why didn't he see that he wasn't what everyone else thought he was? He wasn't evil, he was lost.

Damon stared at her taken aback by her trust in him. She was just...incredible. He blinked and chuckled slightly. "Okay, I better not screw it up then." He smiled at her.

"You won't." She smiled warmly back before continuing with her next question. "What were you like when you were human?" Elena asked curious.

"Actually, pretty much the same as now, minus the whole blood sucking, soulless, killer part." Elena rolled her eyes. "I was naive, I suppose. I had these big ideas about how I wanted to change the world, make it better. I hated the war. Ran away from it. I was a deserter as my father so often liked to remind me. I brought shame to the name Salvatore." He shook his head disgustedly. "I didn't care what he thought. I couldn't watch any more of my friends die for a cause I never believed in. I wouldn't die for it either. So I went home." He sighed lost in his memories.

"That's when I met Katherine and that's why I'm now a vampire. I can't tell you if I'd have chosen differently given the choice again." He wanted to stop there but he found himself wanting to share his secrets with this girl. "I miss being human. I never wanted to be a vampire but at the same time, I never wanted to die properly either. I never would have seen or done half of the things I have if I hadn't turned. I never would have met you if I had stayed human and I think I'd have missed you even if we'd never met. I mean, who else would put up with all my 'crazy ideas'." He smirked trying to relieve the tension.

Elena was shocked at his honesty. She never expected him to be so open with her. He was always hidden behind his walls, afraid to let anyone close for fear of getting hurt. She cleared her throat and brushed it off. She wouldn't allow herself to fall any further for him when she was still undecided about where she and Stefan stood.

"What about your mother?" She asked trying to deflect the situation.

"She was the complete opposite of my father. Kind, funny, selfless. She had this smile that would just make everyone happier. She could brighten a room just by walking in to it. She'd never shout or get angry and she always had time for everyone." His face lit up as he remembered her. Elena thought he'd never looked more beautiful.

"I remember once my father had gone out of town on a hunting trip. There was just me and my mother for the whole weekend. I loved those weekends when he went away. We went horse riding. I can still remember her laughing as she tried to catch me." He smiled, "She'd made a picnic and we just sat there watching the sun set then we laid down to watch the stars. She loved the sky at night, used to tell me stories about them. You know, Greek myths and stuff like that." He chuckled.

"There were these fireflies. I've never seen so many and they came so close. It just felt like...magic...you know." He cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. "Anyway, she would have liked you."

"What was her name?" Elena asked quietly.

"Her name was Aliana. She died just after she gave birth to Stefan. She caught tuberculosis. We weren't allowed to see her because it was so infectious so we were sent away. We lived with her sister for a couple of weeks. When we came back she was gone." He gazed at her sadly. "It's weird, you know. You'd think after all this time I'd have forgotten but I can still remember every little detail about her. It still hurts to think about her even after 160 years." He smiled grimly.

Elena took a deep breath. She could feel the tears prickling in her eyes but she fought them back. "When I lost my parents it took me weeks just to be able to stand without crying. I blamed myself for the accident, they'd never had even been on the bridge that night if it wasn't for me. I remember Jeremy's face when he came to see me in the hospital, he looked so small, so helpless and lost. He was the only reason I pushed through the grief and pulled myself together again." She smiled weakly. "I guess my brother is the only thing that's kept me going for so long, even if he is a pain in the ass sometimes." She smirked.

"I'll swap mine for yours. At least Jeremy knows how to have fun." He smirked back, instantly lightening the mood.

Elena laughed. "Stefan can be fun." She protested.

"Yeah, name one time." Damon challenged raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"He was fun when we were learning the dance for the Miss Mystic Falls competition. He kept doing the wrong steps. It was funny."

"So my brothers fun because he can't dance." Damon scoffed.

"He can dance, he just can't do that dance." She smiled.

"Elena, we were brought up doing that dance. If anyone should be able to dance it it should be him." Damon rolled his eyes before getting up and walking towards a stereo Elena hadn't noticed earlier. He fiddled around with a few CD's before choosing one and turning back around to face her.

"Let me show you my favourite dance from when I was growing up." He extended his hand towards her in a silent invitation.

"Damon...I don't know the steps." She hesitated.

"It's easy, I'll show you."

"Fine, but I warn you, I'm not very good."

"Elena, we've danced before and I seem to remember that you were much better than not very good." He smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him and wrapping one arm around her waist. She put her hand on his shoulder and they stood inches apart as the music started playing.

Like before she found herself moving with him as if she'd danced these steps a thousand times before. He led and she followed easily swaying from side to side and matching each others moves effortlessly. Suddenly he twirled her out and back in at near vampire speed.

She giggled disorientated for a moment. "Show off." She muttered.

He smirked and spun her out again this time bending her backwards as she came back towards him, holding her to him so that their faces were mere inches apart. His eyes flickered to her lips and then back to her eyes and Elena drew in a shaky breath.

She was mesmerized by him. His eyes were drinking her in, displaying an emotion she hadn't yet seen on his face. She could feel his warm breath on her lips sending shivers down her spine. And, oh god, those lips. They looked as soft as silk and she found herself dying to press hers against them. She felt herself leaning in and dimly registered the complete shock and longing on Damon's face.

Just as they were about to close the gap between them Damon's phone rang. He tensed then sighed disappointment etched on his features. He pulled Elena back in to a standing position before flashing over to his jacket and pulling out his phone.

"You can't answer that, Damon, we're on a plane." Elena protested.

Damon rolled his eyes in amusement. "Honestly, Elena. If all it took was answering a phone call to bring down a plane, I think terrorists wouldn't bother sneaking bombs on to them."

He glanced at the caller ID and instantly grinned.

Stefan.


	10. Little Victories

"Miss me already?" Damon smirked answering the phone and throwing Elena a mischievous look.

"Damon, where the hell is she?" Stefan demanded angrily.

"You'll have to be a little more specific, baby bro. Just because you remember all the girls you've been with doesn't mean I do. It's not my fault I'm hotter." He winked at Elena as she scowled at his comment.

"I mean it Damon. Where is Elena?" Stefan fought to control his rage, focusing on getting the information he needed.

"Oh, Elena. Well she's right here actually. We were just in the middle of something Stef, I can get her to call you back." He smiled in to the phone.

"What have you done to her?" Stefan growled.

"I haven't done anything...yet." He waggled his eyebrows at Elena then continued. "She wanted to get away and invited me to come with her. The offer was too tempting to pass up." He chuckled as he listened to Stefan repeatedly curse a string of profanities down the phone.

"If you do anything to her, I swear I'll..."

"You'll what, Stefan. Wrinkle your forehead at me? I'm terrified." He responded in a mock shaky tone.

"Put her on, now." He demanded, ignoring Damon's comment.

"Fine, no need to get testy." He scolded.

Damon held the phone out to Elena and she took it gingerly. "Stefan." She said by way of greeting.

"Elena." Stefan breathed a sigh of relief at hearing her voice. "Are you okay?"

"No, Stefan, I'm not okay." She answered irritated. Why the hell would she be okay?

"Has he hurt you? I'll kill him. Just tell me where you are Elena and I'll come get you." Stefan pleaded.

"No, Stefan. He hasn't hurt me, you did. How could you do something like that? You swore to me that you had it under control. I thought I could trust you." Elena was angry now.

"Please, Elena. I'm sorry. Just tell me where you are and I can explain, I promise." He had to know she was okay.

"No. I don't want you to come and get me. I need space, Stefan. I need to figure out if what we have is worth saving because you've seriously made me doubt it." She took a deep breath, fighting to stop the tears she could feel threatening to fall. "I need to be able to trust you again."

"So you're idea of space is to take off with Damon. How could you Elena? You're my girlfriend and now you're off globe trotting with my brother?" Stefan almost shouted down the phone trying in vain to control his temper and the onslaught of emotions trying to engulf him.

"I am not your girlfriend, Stefan. We broke up. He's my best friend and as of right now he is the only person who I can stand to be around. I don't want you to come and get me because I don't want to hear any more excuses from you. When I get back we can talk but until then I need time, Stefan. Away from you so I can sort my head out." Her voice cracked but she managed to choke back the sob before it could pass her lips.

"What am I supposed to think about this, Elena. I know what I did was wrong but you running away with my brother isn't going to make this any better. We need to talk about this. You can't go with him." Stefan said the last bit as a demand and quickly regretted it.

"Lets get one thing straight. I am not your property. I am not an object you can control. I will do whatever the hell I like. You hurt me Stefan. You. There is no one else to blame for this." She shouted down the phone, infuriated.

"It's Damon's fault. He told you I was back on human blood. He's turned you against me, Elena, don't you see? This is what he does." Stefan pleaded, trying to make her understand that his brother was to blame for the way this had happened.

Elena almost screamed down the phone in frustration and disbelief. How dare he blame Damon for something that he did. "How the hell is any of this Damon's fault? He didn't tell me to get back at you, he told me because he's the only goddamn person who doesn't treat me like a child who should be protected from the truth! He hasn't turned me against you because you managed that just fine by yourself." She threw her arm up in annoyance, wanting so badly to reach through the phone and slap some sense into him.

"He told you so you would trust him. He just wants you to himself, Elena!" Stefan argued.

"I do trust him. It's not like I've run into his arms and slept with him. He is my friend." She stressed the friend part almost with disappointment but stopped herself at the last second. She would not go down that road.

"Haven't you, Elena? Because you two sure seem to be closer since you got back from Georgia." He returned, blinded by his anger he had revealed his deepest fear.

Elena took a sharp intake of breath. How could he even think she would do that? She would never be like Katherine.

"Elena, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it...just let me explain..." She cut him off unwilling to listen to him anymore.

"Goodbye, Stefan." She shut the phone and threw it on the bed, shaking with barely contained anger.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked quietly, momentarily shocking her. In her anger she had almost forgotten Damon had heard every word of their phone conversation.

She looked up at him, surprised at the amount of warmth and concern she found in his gaze.

"I am now." She smiled shakily, exhaling a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. "I think I'm going to lay down and take a nap." She said, walking over to the bed and rearranging the pillows into a comfortable position.

"Okay." He replied. "I'll just go see how long we have left until we land." He smiled at her before turning around and walking towards the cockpit.

She smiled back and shut her eyes drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

VD-DELENA-VD

Damon was shocked. Scratch that. He was absolutely flabbergasted. Rendered near speechless at the amount of love he felt flowing through his body. She'd defended him and stuck up for him without batting an eyelash.

He couldn't believe she had so much faith and trust in him. He was even more amazed at the fact that she'd gone against Stefan for him. What had he done to deserve a friend like her?

He shook his head in disbelief. He needed a minute to compose himself. There were 7 hours of the flight left until they reached their destination followed by an hours drive up to his villa. He needed to get his head sorted if he was going to survive that without doing something stupid like telling her he loved her. God, he was so whipped.

He walked back into the main cabin to see Elena sleeping soundly on the pull out bed. His pull out bed. He mentally slapped himself. Get it together, Salvatore, she's just a girl. He nearly scoffed at his own thought. Elena had never been just a girl. She was the girl. Still he couldn't help thinking; little victories.

He pulled the covers from under her, being careful not to wake her up, before pulling them over her to make sure she was warm. Yep, he was well and truly head over heels for this girl. He tucked her in and slowly swept back a little of her hair that had fallen onto her face. God, she was so beautiful it made his undead heart ache.

He laid down next to her reveling in their closeness. She sighed and smiled when he reached out to stroke her face with his hand. He was so tempted to pull her to him and never let her go but somehow he managed to fight the urge back. It was too soon.

He settled for watching her sleep instead. He couldn't describe the happiness he felt just watching her take every little breath. The way her hair fell in messy curls around her face as she slept. Her eyelashes were fluttering and he could see her eyes moving under her lids as she watched her dreams.

He wondered briefly if she was dreaming about him before muttering under his breath about how he'd kick his own ass for thinking that if it didn't mean disturbing Elena right now.

He was so busy mentally shouting at himself that he didn't notice her eyelids flicker briefly open before she rolled closer to him, resting her head on his chest just like she had done when they were watching the movie.

"Thank you." She whispered snuggling closer in to him as he eagerly (oh, god) wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in closer.

"For what?" He asked puzzled.

"Being here." She smiled eyes still closed.

Damon's heart nearly leaped from his chest for the millionth time that day. He almost fist pumped the air with elation before composing himself enough to reply.

"Anytime." He smiled back and before he could stop himself placed a brief kiss on her forehead. He braced himself for her reprimand but it never came.

She just sighed in contentment and drifted back off to sleep. Damon watched her for a few more minutes before hearing her heart slow into a calm rhythm and following her into the most relaxing sleep he'd had in decades.


	11. Loved & Hated

Stefan was livid. How could she have left with his brother? Did she not realise how stupid that was? He thought she was smarter than that. Trusting him was stupid and reckless and would only end in disappointment.

Unless...

He shouted in hopeless frustration. How could he have been so blind? Elena would never leave him. She loved him. She wasn't selfish and she certainly wasn't one to run from her problems. Their problems.

Briefly he registered Alaric staring open mouthed and confused at his outburst and no doubt puzzlement at the strained phone conversation he'd just heard. He turned to him wondering whether to tell him his suspicions.

He paused momentarily. Alaric was Damon's friend. If you could call the type of relationship they had friendship. Would he tell him? He doubted it. Alaric was Damon's friend, yes, but he also knew what Damon was capable of. If anyone knew how bad Damon could be, it was him. He'd already lost his wife to him so Stefan doubted he'd stand by and watch Damon take Elena too.

"I think Damon has took Elena." Stefan stated watching an even more confused Alaric shake his head in bafflement.

"What?" Alaric asked, wishing he hadn't had so much to drink so he could more easily process Stefan's words. Damn, bourbon.

"I think Damon has compelled Elena to leave Mystic Falls with him. She doesn't want to leave him and she got angry when I accused him of trying to get between us." Stefan started pacing back and forth, trying to devise a plan that would help him get her back as soon as possible.

"He wouldn't. Besides, she's wearing a necklace full of vervain, he can't compel her." He shook his head in disagreement.

"He could have easily taken it off of her. It's the kind of thing he'd do." He was sure of it now. It was the only explanation that made sense. He was sure Elena would never leave with him willingly. "I have to find Bonnie. Maybe she has a spell or something that can help me find them."

He turned to walk back to his car, determined to make Bonnie help him, when he heard Alaric call his name.

"What?" He almost growled. He fought back his temper and turned around to face him.

"Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions? She has had a lot on her plate lately. It makes sense that she'd need to get away from it all. She's just a kid." He knew Damon was an ass but he'd seen them together. He didn't know how he knew or why he trusted that Damon would look after her, but he didn't think Damon would ever compel her.

"With Damon? I've known him for 160 years. This is what he does. He always ruins everything for me. He'll take her just to prove he can." Stefan was getting anxious. He needed to find them.

"Maybe she really did go with him willingly. I mean, they are friends Stefan." Alaric countered.

"Damon doesn't have friends. He has enemies and human playthings. The only reason he even tolerates humans is so he can rip them open and feed on them." He argued turning away and walking defiantly to his car.

Alaric winced. Sometimes it was easy to forget that his best friend (woah, how did that even happen?) was a vampire. A creature he'd sworn to hunt down until the end of his existence. He watched Stefan drive away, shaking his head in resignation. This would not end well.

VD-DELENA-VD

Damon sighed. She looked so peaceful with her head resting on his chest that he felt a twinge of regret at having to wake her. They were coming in to land and she needed to get off of the bed and buckle up in her seat so he could fold it away.

"Lena. Sweetheart, we're landing soon." He was shocked at how gentle his voice sounded and 'sweetheart'? Where the hell had that come from?

Elena stirred, roused by Damon's deep voice rumbling in his chest. Her eyes fluttered sleepily open and she groaned.

Damon chuckled and swept her hair from her face. "I know. It's torture having to get off of such a hot body as mine. Don't worry though, as soon as we get back to mine, you can use my body as a pillow for as long as you like. I'll even let you do other things to it if you're a really good girl." He laughed at her disgusted expression as she groaned again.

"You're such an ass." She muttered, pushing away from him and attempting to stand up. She swayed and almost stumbled before she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and steady her.

"I think we've already established that you have an adorable obsession with my ass." He smirked at nothing in particular before looking at her in concern. "Are you okay?"

She snapped her head up, intending to berate him for his comment before getting lost, once again, in his crystal blue eyes. She drew in a slightly ragged breath before swallowing and stepping back, immediately missing the safety and comfort his arms brought her. "I'm fine...just...head rush. How long was I asleep?" She shook her head, clearing it, and stepped around him, heading for her seat whilst he turned away from her and packed the bed away.

"About 7 hours. We'll be landing in 10 minutes." He finished folding the bed away and turned back to look at her.

"Where is it we're landing?" She looked nervous. He almost laughed out loud at her expression.

"Guess." He told her, sitting down opposite Elena and buckling up his seatbelt.

She fixed him with a calculating expression, trying to figure out where he'd most likely take her. She had a fairly good idea. She'd had a place in mind as soon as he'd shown her the plane but she was almost scared to be wrong. If they were really where she thought they were going then she was probably the first person he'd brought here without food in mind.

"I have an idea. You mentioned wanting to take me there once." She smiled slightly apprehensive. "Are we in Italy?" She guessed.

Damon was momentarily stunned. He couldn't believe she remembered him saying that to her. It was months ago, just after they'd first met. He smiled back at her and nodded his head.

"Well, Rome to be more precise. It'll take about an hour to get there once we land." He smirked at her sharp intake of breath before laughing as she excitedly craned her neck to look out of the window. She sighed in wonder, taking in the landscape as they descended.

"Wow." She breathed. She'd always wanted to visit Rome. Her mother had been going to take her there for her 18th birthday. She smiled sadly before turning to look at Damon.

"I've always wanted to come here." He nodded his head at her.

"I know." He replied.

They spent the next few minutes in silence, Elena gazing out of the window and Damon watching every emotion flickering across her face in silent joy. That he was responsible for the happiness radiating from her made his body flood with emotions so strong he could barely contain them.

He'd never felt so much joy in making another happy. He could see her practically bouncing in her seat with excitement and that he was the one who caused her to feel that way almost took his breath away.

He was never the one who caused happiness in others. Yet here she was, practically jumping up and down because of something he'd done right for once.

When the plane landed they both unbuckled their seat belts and made their way towards the exit door. Damon carried the bags as Elena almost skipped down the stairs. She grabbed his hand, surprising him once again, and practically dragged him towards the waiting car.

"Since you've already brought me all the way to Italy, in a totally unnecessary private jet might I add," She rolled her eyes and huffed slightly in annoyance whilst he quietly chuckled, "I'll overlook the fact that you've hired a damn limousine," Again she rolled her eyes, "Just to take us to a no doubt outrageously over the top mansion and just simply say thank you." She squeezed his hand in gratitude before letting go and sliding in to the car.

He shook his head and suppressed a smirk. "Ignoring the blatant sarcasm in that sentence, I'll simply reply with a your welcome, Elena." He smiled before sliding in to sit next to her, passing the bags to the driver so he could deposit them in the boot.

"I think you may be surprised when you see what we'll be staying in though." He smirked. "You may not know me quite as well as you think."

"Oh, really?" She replied eyebrows raised. "And why would that be?" She asked curiously.

"You'll see soon enough." He laughed.


	12. Acknowledging Attraction

The ride to Rome had been spent in comfortable silence, each occupant of the car lost in their thoughts and the continued presence of the other.

Damon was amazed, now that the reality of the situation had finally sunken in, that he was with Elena in another country, just him and her, alone together on what could be (hopefully) the start of something he had longed for throughout his entire existence.

He was surprised at how relaxed she was around him already. It was as if this had always been the way it was between them. Simple and as easy as breathing. He'd never felt so content in doing nothing but sitting with someone.

If he hadn't been convinced before, he now knew that he had never loved anything as much as he loved the girl currently staring in awe out of the car window. What he had felt for Katherine paled in comparison to what he felt whenever Elena was around him.

She turned to smile at him, feeling his gaze on her. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing." He replied, smiling as she rolled her eyes.

Damon felt the car slowing down as it made its way through the gates and up the gravel driveway. Elena gasped in surprise as she took in the house before her. She shot Damon a quizzical glance before opening the car door to have a better look as the vehicle pulled to a stop.

Elena was almost speechless. It was the most beautiful house she had ever laid eyes on. At first she was surprised that Damon would pick such a place. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't big and it was by no means in perfect condition. To Elena none of this mattered but she had suspected Damon had a flair for the extravagant. She had never been more grateful to be wrong.

It screamed home. It was small and rustic looking. The tiles were weather worn and old and she could see a small arched hole over which a little bridge resided that led away in to a canopy of trees. The house looked like it had simply grown from the forest surrounding it and the whole place had an air of magic about it that Elena instantly grew to love. She guessed that the pool and patio doors were the only new additions this house had acquired for at least 50 years.

"It's not much." Damon muttered almost awkwardly.

Elena shook her head in disagreement. "It's beautiful." She whispered. "Where does that lead?" She asked, pointing to the arched hole in curiosity.

"I'll show you tomorrow." He smiled, relieved at her appreciation. "We better put these things away." He gestured towards their luggage and, after skillfully picking them all up, led the way towards the front door.

Elena followed eagerly, wanting to see the rest of the house. He opened the door and walked inside depositing their luggage in the hallway. "We can unpack tomorrow. Here," He took her hand and guided her towards the stairs, "Let me show you your room."

She walked up the stairs after him, again stunned at the electricity that seemed to pass between them every time they touched. He led her down a small hallway before stopping in front of the furthest door from the stairs. "This is my room." He said casually as he pushed open the door and encouraged her to take a look.

She hovered in the doorway. His room was quite similar to the one at the boarding house. Simple and yet undeniably Damon. She almost laughed at the sight of his double bed. It was the exact replica of the one he had back in Mystic Falls. She wondered briefly how she knew that before shaking her head slightly and turning to face him.

"And my room?" She asked.

He stepped to the side revealing a door she hadn't noticed earlier. "Right next to mine of course." He smirked before standing back to let her open the door herself. She reached for the handle and pulled it down, pushing open the door and walking inside.

Her room was very pretty. She noticed another double bed and a writing desk in one corner with a small window in the opposite corner overlooking the garden behind the house. It was positioned perfectly for sitting at and writing, as she loved to do at home.

She felt Damon's presence momentarily vanish before he came back with her suitcase and bag. "Let me know if you need anything else." He said turning back to walk out of the door. "I don't mind if you need me to help you sleep." He winked and smirked as she threw a pillow from her bed at him.

"Kidding." He laughed before saying goodnight and shutting the door.

Elena sighed deeply before beginning to rummage through her suitcase searching for her pajamas. It was quite warm so she decided on shorts and a vest. She'd just finished getting changed before she realised Damon hadn't told her where the bathroom was.

Deciding she'd just find it herself she grabbed her toothpaste and toothbrush and exited the bedroom.

Damon had decided he needed a cool shower. Thinking of Elena sleeping alone in the room next to him made his mind wander off into fantasies he shouldn't entertain. He had almost wanted to pretend there was only one bedroom and that they'd have to share but he'd, reluctantly, stopped himself. After all, if the way they had gotten closer in just one day was any indication to go by, she'd be sleeping in his bed willingly soon enough.

He hoped so, because he didn't know how long he could continue to stay away from her. He knew she felt it too. The attraction between them was getting harder to ignore. If she thought she could hide it from him and deny it, well he wasn't going to let her.

He was a damn vampire. He heard, felt and saw every single reaction her body made when he was near her. He'd heard it when her heart sped up on the plane earlier as they'd danced. Seen it when he pupils had dilated in barely contained lust. Hell, he'd practically smelt her arousal for him when he'd bent her backwards to kiss her. Damn, Stefan and his timing.

Although, listening to the conversation between them had eased his irritation at his interruption considerably. Elena was no longer his brother's girlfriend. He had wanted to high five the air when he'd found out that little piece of information.

He sensed her indecision though. She wasn't sure whether she wanted their split to be lasting. Well, Damon thought, he'd just have to convince her otherwise.

He switched off the shower and stepped out to reach for a towel to dry himself off. If he hadn't have been so lost in his thoughts he would have heard the approaching footsteps seconds earlier and the twist of the door handle as it was pushed open.

He did however hear the shocked gasp and the sudden racing of a heart beat he'd hear even in the most crowded and noisiest of rooms.

His head snapped up in surprise as his brain registered a flushed and embarrassed girl quickly cover her eyes and spin away from him.

"Elena!" He said, ripping the towel from the radiator and covering himself up. He smirked as he smelt her growing arousal. "If you wanted to see me naked all you had to do was ask."

She shook her head in embarrassment and growled, "You knew I was here. Why didn't you say something before I walked in on you...like that?" She threw her arm backwards in a gesture of annoyance.

"What, and miss seeing the look on your face? Sorry but I couldn't resist watching you get all flustered and turned on." He smirked, neglecting to tell her that he'd been so busy thinking about her that he hadn't even heard her come in. He walked slowly behind her until they were almost touching.

"I am not turned on, Damon. I'm...shocked that's all." She almost stammered, furiously trying to scrub her mind clean of the image of Damon's naked body stood before hers. Unfortunately, her mind began to wonder towards other scenarios where his body was hovering above hers, pressed against her in all the right ways. She began to wonder whether she'd finally lost it.

"I'm a vampire, Elena. I can smell it. You want me right now." He breathed into her ear.

She shuddered involuntarily from the sensation of his breath against her neck. "You're wrong." She replied, pleased to hear her voice sound strong and steady when she felt herself falling apart inside.

"Am I?" He whispered, lightly ghosting his hands up and down her sides. He knew he was walking on dangerous ground but at the moment he couldn't care less. She just made him so crazy that his brain couldn't function properly in her presence. What he wanted (her, it was always her) and what he was supposed to do (walk away and toe the line) just weren't getting through to his actions anymore.

Elena desperately tried to fight the foggy haze clouding her brain with lust. She couldn't do this regardless of how much she wanted to turn around and get lost in every single sensation his touch was promising her.

Reluctantly, but defiantly, she stepped away from him and headed out of the door, refusing to turn around, knowing if she did she'd most likely never leave that bathroom again.

She missed the flash of pain in Damon's eyes as she once again shut him out, rejected what she felt, rejected him. His heart ached with disappointment as he watched her walk away.

As she practically ran to her bedroom and shut the door behind her, she forced herself to calm down. She had to resist the temptation to give in to him. Elena had promised Stefan that they would talk when she got back. Even though they were no longer together she still loved him and if she continued to get caught up in the emotions she felt around Damon, she would betray and break him beyond repair. She would break them both.

What she had with Stefan was real, she reminded herself. She felt attraction for Damon because the guy looked like a damn Greek god. He'd use her and drop her quicker than Caroline changed her shoes. She knew that he'd only ever loved Katherine. It was stupid of her to think he might love her too.

She wouldn't risk her love for Stefan on the fleeting chance that she could find something more with Damon. She wasn't that selfish.

She would be friends with him and nothing more, no matter how much her heart pleaded otherwise. She closed off her thoughts and feelings towards Damon and buried them as deep as she could before climbing into bed and switching off the light, one thought running on repeat in her mind.

I will not be Katherine. It's Stefan, it's always going to be Stefan.

She drifted in to an uneasy sleep, desperately trying to ingrain the message in to her very being. She did not love Damon.

If only her heart would believe that.


	13. Please, Help Me

Stefan arrived at Bonnie's house, praying that she would be in. He got out of the car, careful to control his speed despite his anxiety, just in case any nosy neighbours decided to glance out of the window. With half the town clued in on vampires the last thing he needed right now was accusations over his status as a human.

He walked up the porch steps relieved to see the light in the living room still on. He could hear that the T.V. was on and could just make out the sound of Bonnie's sleeping breaths.

Stefan raised his hand and knocked on the door. He heard her gasp as she woke up before her footsteps lightly hurried across the hall. She pulled back the door and took a step back in barely concealed alarm.

"Stefan?" She questioned, a hint of fear in her voice before she physically straightened as if standing her ground. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Elena." He almost pleaded. "She's left town and I need to find her."

Bonnie looked puzzled for a moment before shaking her head. "I know, Stefan. She told me she was leaving for a few days." She stepped back as if to close the door but stopped when she saw the look on his face. There was more.

"She left with Damon." He said, pain marring his features.

"What? Why?" Bonnie asked confused.

"I think he compelled her to leave with him and I don't know where they've gone. We need to find them and I was hoping you could do some type of locator spell. I know Emily could do them." Stefan pleaded once again.

"Wait, Damon's compelled Elena?" Bonnie almost shouted. She was furious. How dare he?

"She would never have left with him willingly, Bonnie. You know what he's like, he must have." He shook his head angrily. He was unwilling to believe that Elena wanted to go with him.

"I'll check my grimoire." She said determined. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Alaric." Stefan replied. "Everyone else just thinks she's gone alone."

Bonnie nodded and pursed her lips. She was simultaneously disappointed, worried, exasperated and frustrated at her best friends stupidity. How could she ever have thought that getting involved with vampires was a good idea?

She knew Elena loved Stefan, but she couldn't understand how she could have continued to love him once she had found out the truth. She grew even more angry at her for letting Damon in to her life. That was a disaster waiting to happen.

"I'll let you know when I find something." She nodded her head and made to shut the door. The truth was she hated Stefan for what he had done to Amber. If it wasn't for Elena she would have taken him down as soon as she had realised what he was capable of. She had, after finding out what they really were, preferred Stefan to Damon. She thought Stefan at least had some humanity left in him. She saw the good in him but, unlike Elena it seemed, she also saw the bad.

But now she knew they were both evil. They killed and they didn't care. They needed to be stopped. For good.

Stefan nodded in return and muttered a thank you before turning around and walking back towards his car.

Bonnie shut the door and walked back in to her living room, switching off the T.V, grabbing her phone and running upstairs. She threw open her bedroom door and made straight towards her bedside table, opening the drawer and pulling out her grimoire.

If Damon really had compelled her she was going to kill him. For real this time. He'd messed with her and her friends too many times. Bonnie would not let him destroy Elena. He was an abomination and he needed to be stopped. It was for the good of everyone. He'd already hurt Caroline, her, Alaric and now he was messing with Elena.

She'd kill him then she'd force Elena to see sense if she had to. The Salvatore brothers were trouble and she would not stand back and watch Elena throw her life away. Being with either of them only led to more death. She'd either die for good or come back as one of them.

Bonnie would rather her be dead permanently than watch lose her humanity and live as a vampire forever.

She decided to call Caroline and ask her if she had heard from Elena before searching for a spell.

She dialed Caroline's number and held the phone to her ear, briefly glancing at the clock to make sure it wasn't too late.

"Bonnie!" Caroline squealed. Bonnie could almost see her jumping up and down. She chuckled before getting on to the topic she'd called to ask about.

"Have you heard from Elena?" Bonnie asked.

"Elena? No, not since this morning when she rang to say she was leaving for a while. I, like, totally wanted to go with, I mean, what is the deal with that? She goes off on some trip and she doesn't invite us! She'll come back with all these amazing clothes and, oh my god, can you imagine all those new shoes! It's so unfair! And to top it off..."

"Caroline, Caroline stop. Breathe." Bonnie interrupted. She loved the girl but sometimes she just wanted to strangle her so she'd stop talking. "I wasn't talking about whether you'd heard from her this morning, I meant whether you'd heard from her since she'd left."

"No, see, she's probably so busy shopping that she's completely forgotten about us. Her phone is even switched off! What the hell is with that? I mean..."

"Okay, Caroline. Look, if she calls, will you tell her to call me?" Bonnie sighed exasperated.

"Sure." Caroline replied. "You know, I was thinking..."

"Ugh, Caroline, I think someones at the door, I'll call you back later okay? Bye." She ended the call as Caroline huffed, irritated.

Caroline could be so annoying at times that she truly wondered how she had managed to stay friends with her for so long. She sighed and reached for her grimoire, determined to find out just what the hell was going on. It was going to be a long night.


	14. Fireflies and Waterfalls

Elena woke to the warming rays of light streaming through the window. She felt peaceful and relaxed after having, surprisingly, one of the best sleeps she'd had in months. She slowly opened her eyes and was momentarily startled to find herself in an unfamiliar room.

She had almost started to panic before realising where she was. She blushed and instantly felt embarrassed as she also remembered who she was with. Damon.

She shook her head and sighed deeply. No matter how much she had tried to tell herself last night that she had no feelings other than sisterly affection for Damon, her heart simply refused to listen.

She could almost scream with frustration. Why was nothing in her life easy anymore? Couldn't she be content just to love Stefan? Why was his love not enough for her?

She buried her face in her hands. Why had she allowed Damon to come with her? She knew it would only make things more difficult. Already she could feel herself becoming closer to him and it hadn't even been a full day since they had left Mystic Falls.

Elena sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, standing up and walking towards her bedroom door. As soon as she opened it she was met with the smell of fresh coffee. She heard a slight sizzling sound from downstairs and decided to investigate.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs she realised that she had no idea where the kitchen was. Almost on instinct her feet carried her towards the source of the noise. She turned the corner into the kitchen and was met with a sight she was sure she would never want to forget.

Damon was standing shirtless in the middle of the kitchen cooking what looked to Elena like omelette's. She could see a fresh pot of coffee had just finished boiling and she had to resist the urge to giggle as she watched him. It was so normal, so...human. It made her smile.

Elena stood there just staring at him. She couldn't take her eyes off of his chest. His head was bent slightly as he worked and she wondered whether he'd noticed her presence yet.

"As much as I appreciate it when girls drool at my obviously god like physique, your breakfast is getting cold and I'd hate for all this effort to have gone to waste." He smirked, glancing up, before pausing to look at her. She saw surprise and something else that she couldn't quite decipher flicker across his expression before he shook his head slightly and began plating up her breakfast.

"I was not drooling." Elena replied, shooting him a mock glare. "I was just thinking."

"About me. I know, most people do." He smiled as if relaying a fact he'd simply learned to deal with.

"I was actually. I was contemplating the best way to stake you and make it look like an accident." She smirked back before walking the remaining distance towards the breakfast bar and sitting down on the stool opposite him.

"Please. You wouldn't stake me. You'd miss me too much." He reached over and ruffled her hair as if she was a child. "You're life would be meaningless without me and you know it." He winked and sat down, reaching over for the coffee jug and pouring them both a cup.

"You are so deluded." She laughed before starting to eat what he'd made her.

"Nope, just truthful." He gave her a knowing look as if trying to convey a deeper meaning. Elena caught on immediately. He wouldn't lie to her. He wouldn't.

She decided to ignore it and focus on her breakfast. Taking a mouthful of omelette she almost moaned in appreciation of the taste.

"This is so good." She gasped.

"Of course it is. I made it." He winked and chuckled at her irritated expression. "When you've finished that, get dressed. We've got a long day ahead of us." He smiled and got up, putting his finished cup of coffee in the sink and reaching under a cupboard to grab a basket. "We're going on a picnic." He exclaimed, a glint of mischief evident in his eyes.

"What?" Elena asked confused.

"Well, what usually happens is two or more people take a blanket and a basket full of food and they..." He started to explain, an amused expression on his face.

"Damon." Elena said cutting him off in annoyance.

"Elena." He replied wiggling his eyebrows.

"Ugh, forget it." She sighed, resigned to whatever he had planned for the day.

"See I knew there was a reason I liked you. You give in so easily." He laughed at her outraged expression before ducking out of the door in case she decided to throw something at him.

"I hate you." She muttered, irritated further when she heard his deep laugh at her words.

"You have got to work on your lying skills, Elena." He shouted. "They're painfully see through."

She ignored his comment and went back to finishing her food. Once she was done she put her plate and cup in the sink and proceeded upstairs towards her bedroom.

Elena walked in and shut the door behind her. Walking towards the window she glanced out and decided that it was nice enough to wear shorts and a vest.

She pulled her suitcase on to the bed and began rummaging through it.

Half an hour later she was dressed and ready. She had chosen to wear her light blue shorts and a purple vest. She slipped in to a pair of sandals before tying her hair up in to a ponytail and exiting the bedroom.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Damon was nervous. Really nervous. He'd spent most of the morning planning what to do today. He remembered her asking about the arch next to the house last night and decided that a picnic and a walk to the waterfall would be just what Elena needed.

He wanted to make her smile. He loved watching the way her face lit up when she laughed. She would love the waterfall. It always made Damon feel peaceful and free whenever he came here.

Damon heard Elena's light footsteps coming down the stairs and watched in silent awe as she reached the bottom. She was stunning. There was no other word to describe the beauty that radiated from her. It took his breath away and he didn't even need the air to breathe.

Everything about her was mesmerising and he couldn't believe he'd once mistaken her for Katherine. They were so different it was almost laughable that they shared the same face. He tore himself away from his thoughts and focused on the present.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied. "Where exactly are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He smiled and grabbed her hand, relishing in the contact. She set his whole body on fire and he didn't even care as long as he never lost the feeling he got whenever she was close. Loving Elena Gilbert was like loving the sun. It had the power to bring him to life and send him to his death in equal intensity.

They walked out of the house, hand in hand, and proceeded through the arch and along a winding forest trail. He was surprised she hadn't let go as soon as they had left the house. She had simply tightened her hold as if she was as unwillingly to let go as he was.

They walked in companionable silence for about twenty minutes. He watched as she gazed around at the forest. Saw her visibly relax and the stress of the last few days melt away from her. He thought she'd never looked more beautiful than she did right now.

They came to a small clearing and he saw her face light up and break in to a smile as her eyes found the cascading waterfall.

"It's so beautiful." She breathed.

"It is." He replied without looking away from her face.

She blushed slightly and dropped her hand away from his as he started to spread out the blanket and set out their picnic. He hadn't brought anything heavy as he knew she'd just eaten.

He laid out fruit and salad and a box of biscuits and Elena's favourite chocolates before bringing out some fruit juice. She smiled and settled down on the blanket.

They talked for hours. Trivial things at first before launching in to stories from their pasts. She quizzed him on every aspect of his life before and after he had turned.

He was honest with her. Most of what he'd done wasn't pretty and it wasn't good. He told her more about his mother and father, about his childhood and what it was like growing up in the 1800's.

He felt truly free for the first time. There were no secrets left between them as they talked. He had never spoken to anyone else about his life in such detail before. He had expected to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed, but he found himself opening up for the first time and being truly content in the knowledge that what he said would never be used against him.

Elena wouldn't manipulate his feelings or use his memories to hurt him. She simply listened and smiled. He fell more in love with her as each passing second ticked by. How could this one girl, this incredible, beautiful, loving girl just be with him as if she wished for nothing more than to sit there with him for the rest of forever?

She never judged him as he talked about deserting the war. He'd expected her to be disappointed in his decision to run away. Expected her to look at him as if all she saw was a coward who left his friends to die, as his father had done. But she didn't.

Instead she reached for his hand and squeezed it. He'd had to pause in his recollections then and take a breath, force the lump that formed in his throat at her gesture back down and compose himself before continuing.

She'd lightened the mood before long, making a stupid joke that made Damon roll his eyes in amusement and laugh out loud, truly laugh, for the first time in decades.

Nothing was forced with them. Everything was just easy. They heard everything the other said and were attentive enough to realise the words they were thinking when actual words could not be found.

It had started to get dark when Damon suddenly realised they'd spent the whole day just talking. It was still warm and there was one more thing he wanted to show her before they went back home.

He stood up abruptly and motioned for her to do the same. "Come on, I want to show you something." He began taking his clothes off as Elena gasped and stared open mouthed at his actions. Damon rolled his eyes as he finished getting undressed, left standing only in his boxers.

"Kindly take your mind out of the gutter. We're going swimming, Elena." He chuckled as her eyes widened.

"I can't. I haven't got a swimsuit." She protested weakly.

"Neither have I." He winked before running and diving in to the water, surfacing and turning to her expectantly. "Come on, Elena. Live a little."

She looked torn before a determined look flashed across her face. Why the hell not, she thought.

She began to strip down to her underwear, secretly empowered as she watched Damon's eyes widen with lust at her display. Get it together, Gilbert. You will not be going down that road.

She tossed her clothes in a pile by Damon's and jumped in to the water, making sure to splash him as much as possible. She giggled as she surfaced. Damon was tossing his hair back in an mock irritated huff. She'd practically drenched him.

"Ha ha. Aren't you just hilarious." He shook his head and grabbed her hand under the water. The sensation of his burning touch and the coolness of the surrounding water instantly sent tingles rushing through every fibre of her body.

Damon pretended not to notice as he felt her stiffen. He turned away from her and smiled. Obviously what he felt every time they touched wasn't as one sided as she'd led him to believe. It was like an electric shock every time their skin brushed and he couldn't help but imagine what it would feel like if he were to press that gorgeous little body of hers against his.

He shuddered slightly, trying to suppress the raging desire to pull her to him and make her scream his name right now. He had to be patient. He would be patient. Hell, he'd wait forever if he had to.

They swam towards the bottom of the waterfall before Damon tugged at her hand and led her towards the right hand side of it.

"Do you trust me, Elena?" He asked. He looked vulnerable, as if he was expecting the answer to be no.

Elena answered without hesitation. "Yes."

He smiled before moving closer to her. "Good." He grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him, almost groaning at the sensations their bodies made at the contact. "Hold on to me and take a deep breath."

She nodded, unable to speak, unable to think, unable to do anything but pull herself closer to him. Everything burned at his touch. She felt like her body would physically burst in to flames if she stayed this close to him. She knew it was wrong, but dammit, it felt so right that she swore it was perfection.

He pulled her even closer until their lips were almost touching before counting down slowly. "Three...two...one."

Elena took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt herself being pulled under the water and instinctively buried her face in to Damon's chest. The water swirled around her as he super speeded them under the falls before shooting them up to the surface.

She kept her eyes closed until she felt the brush of his hand on her cheek.

"Lena, you can open your eyes now, sweetheart." His voice caressed her very soul and she found herself dreamily lifting her lids.

She gasped as she saw hundreds of tiny lights flickering and dancing all around them.

"Fireflies." He breathed watching her expression of wonderment. "I used to come here and just watch them for hours." He smiled down at her.

She met his gaze and smiled back, her joy radiating through her perfect features.

"Wow. It's just...amazing." She had tears of excitement in her eyes. Everything here was so magical. It was like a dream.

She realised suddenly that they were still wrapped tight in a warm embrace. She tried to tell herself to move away, that there was no need to be this close to him now, but the words from her brain seemed to get lost on the way to her limbs.

She felt safe in his arms and she wished that she'd never have to leave them again. As usual it didn't matter what she wished for, the moment always had to end.

Damon sighed reluctantly, briefly hugging her to him before backing away. They both felt almost physical pain as soon as they moved from the others embrace but quickly masked it by surveying their surroundings.

"It's late. We should head back." Damon said after 10 minutes. He smiled at her and started swimming towards what she could now see as little steps that led up through the waterfalls cave. She followed him and took his hand as he pulled her up and out of the water.

It had gotten cooler since they had dived in and after a couple of minutes climbing out of the cave Elena began to shiver. Damon, noticing this picked her up and super sped them back over to their clothes.

"Thanks." She muttered gratefully as she began pulling her clothes over her dripping body.

He nodded, having already gotten dressed and began packing up the remains of the picnic. He passed her the basket when he had done and walked closer to her.

"I can get us back faster if you'd like." He said searching her face.

"Okay." She replied, secretly glad at the excuse to hold on to him again.

He picked her up as before and cradled her to him. "Close your eyes." He smiled as she complied before speeding them back to the house in a matter of seconds.

She chuckled as she felt him set her down on the ground before opening her eyes and muttering to him, "Show off."

He smirked at her before shoving her through the door as she mock pouted. "Come on, let's get you warm before you catch something. We can't have a kick ass getaway if you get sick."

She laughed. "I know. Imagine how bored you'd get if you had to entertain yourself."

He shook his head and walked over to the fireplace lighting a match and getting a fire going. "Ha ha, you're just a barrel of witty comebacks today, aren't you?"

She smirked at him before replying, "I wonder who I got that off of."

He laughed and threw a blanket on to the sofa. "Go get changed and then come back down here. I'll make us some hot chocolate and we can roast some marshmallows."

He exited the room leaving Elena awestruck behind him. She wanted to squeal in delight. Damon Salvatore. Who knew he could be so caring and nice? He was just so amazing that sometimes he took her breath away.

She walked up the stairs to her bedroom, opened the door, closed it and began to get changed in to her pajamas.

How anyone had not loved him before she had no idea. How could you not love him? She felt an unbelievable surge of anger as she remembered what Katherine had done to him. How dare she destroy him like that? Take away his trust in people, destroy his relationship with his brother. Throw his love for her back in his face as if it were nothing.

He deserved to be loved as intensely and as equally as he loved. She had never met anyone more deserving of love than he was and for the millionth time that day she wished she could just let herself be that person. The person who melted in to his embrace, comforted him and promised never to leave, never to hurt him.

Wished fiercely that she had met him first so that she wouldn't have to constantly push him away and pretend he was only a friend. She wanted to love him, desperately, intensely and deeply. He was enough, god, he was more than enough. He was becoming everything to her and it was causing her physical pain that she couldn't act on anything she was feeling.

She finished getting dressed and proceeded back downstairs. Walking towards the sofa she grabbed the blanket and flopped down, stretching her legs out and getting comfortable. Spreading out the blanket she threw it on top of herself and waited for Damon to reappear.

A couple of seconds later he walked in to the room carrying a tray with marshmallows and hot chocolate. He passed her a cup and grabbed the bowl of marshmallows, setting them down on the table, before grabbing a pair of skewers.

He lifted her legs up and sat down placing them back on to his lap and sinking back in to the sofa with a contented sigh.

"Hi." He smiled.

"Hi, back." She replied smiling.

They sat for an hour, sipping their drinks and roasting marshmallows. They didn't talk. They didn't need to.

After a while Elena felt herself getting tired and began to shift, muttering a soft goodnight to Damon. She saw a brief look of disappointment flash through his eyes before he nodded and whispered a goodnight back.

She crawled in to bed and drifted off as soon as her head hit the pillow. Sleep didn't last long.

A nightmare woke her up a couple of hours later. She sat bolt upright in bed, panting heavily. She couldn't remember what had happened in her dream but whatever it was, it had terrified her.

She collapsed back on to the bed, trying desperately to control her breathing and heart rate so she could go back to sleep.

After 20 minutes of tossing and turning she jumped out of bed in frustration. She couldn't shake away the horrible feeling from her dream. She didn't feel safe.

She knew where she would feel safe but even contemplating that idea was ridiculous. How could she even think about jumping in to bed with her sorta-boyfriend's brother?

Then again, it's not like she would be sleeping, sleeping with him. She'd just be sleeping with him. Nothing would happen.

She mentally steeled herself, proceeded out of her bedroom and approached Damon's, contemplating whether or not to knock. She decided against it as she didn't want to wake him.

She opened the door and tip toed in to his room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Damon was asleep, the covers draped over his lower half, his chest bathed in the moonlight from the window. She took in an involuntary half gasp at the beauty of the scene, before mentally shaking herself and proceeding to the other side of the bed.

She carefully climbed in, making sure to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake him. She snuggled down in to the bed and turned on her side away from him. Just as she began to fall asleep she felt him wrap his arms around her and pull her to his chest, tucking her head underneath his chin.

"Not that I'm not extremely pleased that you're in my bed right now but, what exactly are you doing here?" He whispered feeling her relax back in to his chest and wondering how the hell she managed to surprise him every time he least expected it.

"I had a nightmare, couldn't sleep." She replied.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked concerned.

"I can't even remember it." She whispered back turning around to face him.

He kept his arms wrapped around her back and pulled her slightly closer. "Okay." He breathed. "That still doesn't exactly explain why you came and got in to my bed though." He smiled at her.

She smiled back before snuggling in to his chest and breathing in deeply. "You make me feel safe." She answered honestly.

He stiffened slightly, stunned at her words. He was a vampire, hello. Pretty much the most unsafe creature on the planet. This girl was mental.

"Let me get this straight." He said in disbelief. "You had a nightmare, woke up and felt the safest place to go to was a vampire's bed." He scoffed.

"Umhmm." She muttered sleepily. Not really following the conversation anymore.

He chuckled at her incoherent response. "Okay then." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Night, 'Lena."

She snuggled closer and he heard her heart rate slow as she fell asleep. He couldn't believe Elena frickin' Gilbert was in his bed willingly, without compulsion, blackmail, death threat or force. That she had just come and got in like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do and fallen to sleep in his arms. His arms.

He fervently hoped this was not a dream and that he hadn't somehow managed to fall out of bed and accidentally stake himself, because if this was real, things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.

And for the first time in his undead life, Damon actually looked forward to waking up in the morning, because he couldn't think of anything better than waking up with Elena in his arms.

Now he just had to work at making that an everyday occurrence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my favourite chapter that I have written so far and I would really appreciate any feedback on it and how you think my story is going and anything you think I should include or work on :) Thanks for reading!


	15. Realizations & Food Fights

Damon awoke to a light breath tickling his chest. He was momentarily shocked to find Elena curled in to his embrace, before coming to his senses and remembering the night before.

He was almost breathless remembering her need for him to comfort her. She had said that she felt safe with him. He simultaneously wanted to strangle her for being so naive and crush her to him for believing in him so much.

She put so much trust in him that it shook him to his very core. Did she not realise that he could snap, like that? All it took was for him to get just a little too angry, a little too rough, and she'd be dead before she hit the ground.

The thought sickened him. As much as he loved her and loathed the idea of leaving her, he knew he wasn't good for her. She could never be truly safe with him, he was too volatile, too unpredictable, too dangerous. And he hated himself for what he was.

If he ever hurt her it would destroy him. He felt like he needed her constantly. When she wasn't around he missed her presence and found himself aching to find her again. He knew if they were ever together they would destroy each other.

They were too passionate, too stubborn, loved too recklessly when they were around each other. He felt like every single person he'd ever met and loved could disappear and he wouldn't even blink but if she left him he would physically crumble.

The depths of his emotions for her grew every day and he was terrified of how much he loved her. She drew him in and he was powerless to pull away. She was addictive and he didn't think he could survive it if he had to go cold turkey.

She stirred slightly before pulling him closer. His heart soared and he almost gasped at the intensity of what he was currently feeling for her.

He loved this girl so much it consumed him. He wanted to protect her from everything bad in her life but at the same time let her live it for herself. He realised as he gazed at her face resting against his chest that he would literally die to protect her. He wouldn't even need to consider it. He could not think of a better way to die than dying for her.

If she ceased to exist, he would too. A world in which Elena Gilbert did not exist was a world void of meaning to him. He wondered how he could depend on one person so much, how he could physically not see a life for himself if she died. It was like he was tied to her and he almost laughed at his stupidity in thinking that he had ever loved Katherine.

He heard Elena's heartbeat begin to pick up as she began to drift back in to consciousness. He braced himself for the rejection he was surely about to experience, mentally preparing himself for the guilt he was sure would be in her eyes when she opened them.

She opened her eyes slowly and lifted her head up to look at him. She blushed deeply before pulling back slightly but still staying wrapped tightly in his embrace.

"Hi." She smiled tentatively.

"Hi, back." He repeated her words from last night and smirked slightly as she chuckled.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"About 12, why?" Damon replied.

Elena scrunched up her face before her eyes popped wide open causing Damon to chuckle at her comical expression.

"Shit. I haven't called Jenna." She groaned. "She's going to kill me."

"Unless she can teleport, I think you'll be safe for the next few hours." He smirked at her grimace. "You could always pretend you were somewhere else." He suggested. "That way she wouldn't be able to find you to kill you."

Elena whacked his arm. "So not funny." She brightened momentarily. "I could just hide behind you. You could make your scary face and she'd just give up and run away." She replied weakly.

"Nuh huh. One, Jenna is scary. Seriously, have you seen her when she gets mad? I do not want to be on the receiving end of Jenna's death threats, thank you very much." He shuddered. "And second, what the hell is a 'scary face'?"

"You know, that rawrrr thing you do..." She blushed.

Damon's mouth popped open in surprise before he began laughing uncontrollably. He couldn't stop laughing at the expression she'd just pulled. It was about as scary as a newborn puppy yawning.

One he'd calmed down enough to notice her miffed expression he immediately sobered and looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, it's just, you should have seen your face. That was the least scary look I've ever seen." He snickered.

She punched him hard. Well, hard for her but it still felt about as powerful as a feather to him. "Shut up." She muttered.

"Okay, sorry." He attempted to smile without smirking but she just shook her head in annoyance.

She stared at him for a second before glancing briefly down, her eyes widening in shock as she seemed to register their proximity. She immediately began pulling away from him and turning to get out of bed. "I need to get up and call her." She mumbled.

Damon was almost crushed with the disappointment of letting her go but he hid his feelings and shrugged instead. "I'll make us breakfast, well, lunch." He chuckled before getting up and walking over to his closet to get dressed.

"Okay. I'm going to take a shower first, then ring her." She sighed and walked towards Damon's bathroom.

He had to block the mental image of her naked in his shower before he went insane and shoved her up against a wall. He shook his head.

"Is that an invitation?" He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She blushed. "Ha ha." She replied before walking in to his bathroom.

"That wasn't a no." He shouted after her. Hope rising in him at the fact she hadn't exactly shot his idea down. He chuckled slightly as he heard her lock the door.

"It wasn't a yes, either." She shouted back.

"Then it's definitely a future possibility. Good to know." He laughed as her heard her gasp in annoyance before speeding out of the room, ignoring whatever comeback she had started to say. Today was seriously looking up.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Elena had no idea what had come over her last night. Sharing a bed with Damon was the stupidest thing she could possibly have done. They were already blurring the lines of their friendship and sleeping together was seriously not helping matters.

She reminded herself that she was just scared. That was it. She'd woken up, freaked out and needed someone to calm her down, end of story.

So why hadn't she backed away from him immediately after she'd woken up? The honest truth? It had felt so natural, so right, that she hadn't even realised it was supposed to be wrong until after she had really allowed herself to look at him properly.

She had known, of course, as soon as she had woken up that she was in Damon's arms but it hadn't really registered. She hadn't thought of Stefan, hadn't thought of anything else but Damon.

Oh, god, she was so screwed.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Bonnie had been searching through her grimoire all night. Finally as the early morning light began shining through her window she had found a spell that could at least help them understand why Elena had really gone with Damon.

She rang Stefan and arranged to meet him over at the boarding house. She could hear the relief in his voice when she told him she had found something that might help them but she reminded herself that he was, in the end, just a bad as Damon.

Once they had found Elena and made sure she was safe, she knew what she had to do. Elena didn't need them in her life. They were bad for her and Bonnie couldn't continue to let them destroy this town and everyone in it.

As soon as they had Elena back, it was time to get rid of the Salvatore's for good.

She grabbed her car keys and headed out of the door. Driving to the boarding house she mentally went over all the things she needed for the spell and, satisfied that she'd remembered them all, pulled in to the driveway.

She got out of her car and knocked on the door, opening it and proceeding to walk in to the living room finding Stefan seated on the couch, an anxious expression on his face.

"Thank you for doing this Bonnie." He said gratefully.

"I didn't do it for you, Stefan. If Damon does have her, she's in danger, and I won't stand back and watch him destroy her." Her face hardened and she proceeded to set out the things required for the spell.

5 minutes later she was sat in the middle of the room, a circle of candles burning around her and a picture of Elena placed in front of her.

"So what exactly does this spell do?" Stefan asked, pacing in barely contained frustration.

"It will let me in to her mind. Just for a few seconds, but it will be enough time for me to find out whether she's under compulsion or not." She replied. "She won't notice and it won't hurt her. It will be like a snapshot of sorts." She elaborated quickly. "I'll be able to tell what she's feeling and whether her thoughts are her own."

Stefan nodded. "So when we know for sure that Damon's controlling her, how do we find her?" He asked.

"That's part two." She replied. "I can do a locator spell. It will show me where she is on a map. It won't show her exact location but I can narrow it down to the city she's in."

"That's good. I'll be able to track her from there." He smiled at her encouragingly.

Bonnie nodded and proceeded to relax and chant, placing her hand over Elena's picture and concentrating on her face.

"Rector mihi celeriter,

Rector mihi velox,

Permissium mihi animadverto suus mens caligo tricae,

Lift veil in affectus present,

Free suus sententia quod ostendo penitus."

She finished chanting and immediately Elena's current thoughts and feelings flashed across her mind. She sensed no outside influence on her mind and was shocked to discover that Elena felt safe and happy. Her view changed suddenly and she stood watching them as if looking through a window. Bonnie watched Damon chase Elena around the kitchen, food smeared all over their faces and clothes.

They were laughing and they both looked as if there was no where else they would rather be. She watched their faces, stunned to find they were both gazing, freaking gazing, at each other with exactly the same emotion present on their faces.

Bonnie was nearly hysterical now. This must be some trick, the spell must have backfired, gone wrong somehow, because the emotion they were both wearing was the one she feared most of all in real life.

They were gazing at each other as if they were in love. They looked at each other so intensely that Bonnie was almost certain the world could crumble around them and they wouldn't even notice.

Abruptly, she was pulled out of Elena's mind and vaguely registered Stefan's expectant face looking down at her in question.

What the hell was she supposed to tell him? She wasn't even sure what she'd seen was real. How did she tell him that Elena looked to all the world as if she was Damon's girlfriend and not his?

He continued to look at her, worry now flitting across his features. "Bonnie, what's wrong?"

"He's not compelling her, Stefan." She answered deciding to be honest. She hardly believed it herself, but deep down she knew she hadn't messed up the spell. What she'd seen had been real.

Stefan looked confused. "What?"

"Damon isn't compelling Elena. She's there of her own free will." Bonnie stuttered, flabbergasted.

"No, she can't be." Stefan shook his head in disagreement. "It must have gone wrong somehow, try again, he has to be, there's no other explanation." She saw him pacing, shaking his head back and forth, muttering to himself.

"I didn't do it wrong, Stefan." Bonnie argued. "She wants to be with him."

Stefan's face contorted in rage and Bonnie flinched as he upended one of the tables in the living room. He sped towards Damon's liquor stock and started throwing them in to the flames of the fireplace.

She remained still as she watched him break down. This is why she needed to end them. They were violent, they lived by another set of rules. She feared what he might do to Elena once he found her.

Reluctantly she came to the decision that she couldn't tell him where she was until he had calmed down. For now, Bonnie thought disbelievingly, she was probably safest with Damon.

Bonnie knew that the way he had looked at her meant he wouldn't ever hurt her. It wasn't so much the look he was giving Elena, but the feeling Bonnie got when she'd looked in to his eyes.

Bonnie wasn't one to be dramatic, that was more Carolines forte, but she'd had a feeling that he would protect her with his life if he had to. Her instincts told her that Damon was the safer choice for Elena right now.

Stefan abruptly stiffened then slowly relaxed. He turned towards her and looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, it's just, if he hurts her..." He trailed off, a despairing look in his eyes.

"I need to find her Bonnie, make her see sense." He pleaded with her once again for her to help him.

Bonnie hesitated. She couldn't send Stefan after them. She knew a fight would erupt between the two brothers and she was almost sick with the thought of what could happen if Elena, as Bonnie was almost certain she would, tried to break up their fight.

She would not risk her best friends life any further.

"Stefan, I don't think you should go after her." She shook her head, keeping her tone as light as possible so as not to anger him. "She was safe with him and I don't want you to go after them. Elena will get in the middle of you and him if things get out of control. She could get hurt, Stefan, and I won't risk that."

She could see Stefan's rising anger and frustration and stepped back slightly in fear.

"Bonnie, he will hurt her if I don't find her. He'll break her because that's what he does." He forced himself to calm down before piercing her with his gaze.

"I promise I won't even go near my brother. I'll get her away from there and back here before I go after him, but I need you to help me get her back. The longer she stays with him the more chance he has of hurting her." He walked towards her slowly, trying to pursuade her with his eyes. "Please, Bonnie. I love her. I would never hurt her."

Bonnie took a deep breath. An hour ago she would have agreed with him but now she wasn't so sure. He was different. Less controlled than he had been when he'd been on animal blood. She no longer trusted him to keep his word. He'd nearly killed Amber for god's sake!

She shook her head again. "I don't trust you anymore, Stefan. I won't let you go after them alone." She made a split second decision. "I'll come with you, that way I can get Elena out of there and you can deal with Damon."

Stefan looked relieved that she'd finally agreed to help him. "Thank you, Bonnie."

She nodded, before gathering up her things. "Meet me at my house tomorrow morning at 7. I'll do the spell tonight and then we can set off after them."

He nodded his agreement before watching her turn away and head out of the front door. He was going to get Elena back and his brother was going to pay for taking her away from him.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Elena had finished her shower, got dressed and walked downstairs and in to the kitchen just in time to see Damon finishing breakfast.

She walked over to him. "Anything I can do to help?" She asked.

"You can put the flour away in that cupboard over there." He smiled and pointed her to it.

"No problem." She replied. She walked over to the cupboard and opened it, reaching up with the flour in her hand. She pushed it on to the shelf and let go thinking she'd pushed it further than she actually had done.

She watched it fall almost in slow motion before it spilled it's entire contents all over her. She gasped before turning round to look at Damon.

His mouth had opened in shock and he was staring at her in disbelief. There was a brief moment of utter silence before he suddenly doubled over in to uncontrollable laughter.

She huffed half angry, half amused at his laughter, before walking over to the kitchen side, opening the egg box, grabbing one and smashing it open over the top of his head.

She heard him gasp sharply before he raised his head, his mouth formed in to a little round 'O' shape.

Elena started laughing hysterically at his expression, clutching her sides and trying to calm herself down.

"You did not just get egg in my hair." Damon pouted, trying to look angry. Elena burst in to a fresh fit of giggles as he attempted to brush the pieces of egg shell from his head. "You are so going to regret that, Gilbert."

"Bring it on." She challenged, moving around so the breakfast bar was in between them.

He grabbed the jug of orange juice and smirked at her, watching as she shook her head.

"Don't you dare." They started walking around the island, circling each other.

"Apologise." He threatened, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Never." She breathed. She just had time to recognise the mischievous glint in his eyes before he drenced her in the orange juice.

She spluttered, stunned that he'd actually done it, before leaping at the open box of eggs and beginning to pelt him with them as he chased her at human speed around the bar.

They were laughing and throwing things at each other like maniacs, running all around the kitchen. She was beginning to get breathless when he suddenly sped over to her at vampire speed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against his chest.

They stood there laughing for what seemed like hours before they quietened down and Damon felt Elena relax back in to him. She sighed quietly and looked around the messy kitchen before glancing down at her clothes.

"Looks like I'm going to have to have another shower." She chuckled.

"Well if you weren't so damn clumsy." He laughed.

She elbowed him in the ribs and laughed aswell. "It wasn't my fault." She argued.

"Oh, I suppose the flour, an inanimate object by the way, just decided to jump from the shelf and commit suicide then. I'm sorry. How silly of me to think it was your fault." He smirked down at her as she turned to look at him, she had a mischievious look in her eyes as she replied.

"I'm glad you've realised your mistake and I accept your apology." She beamed at him and his heart got caught in his throat. God, he wanted to kiss her so badly right now.

She had flour all over her face and a tiny smudge of egg on her nose. Her hair was dripping with orange juice and her eyelashes were clumped and stuck together.

She looked absolutely beautiful. He was sure he looked completely horrific, what with egg in his hair and god knows what else all over his face but she was looking at him, no beaming at him, as if none of that mattered.

He saw her beginning to lean towards him, watched her eyes flicker from his down to his lips and his breath caught. She wanted to kiss him.

He was momentarily stunned, before he came to his senses and slowly bent his head towards hers...


	16. The Truth Hurts

Previously...

He saw her beginning to lean towards him, watched her eyes flicker from his down to his lips and his breath caught. She wanted to kiss him.

He was momentarily stunned, before he came to his senses and slowly bent his head towards hers...

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

He scanned her eyes for signs of hesitation and, finding none, pressed his lips to hers softly. He almost moaned at the sensation as she began to kiss him back sweetly, cautiously.

He brought his hands up to cradle her face as she fisted her hands in to his shirt, pulling him closer. His head was spinning and he swore his heart had started beating again.

He slowly teased her lips with his tongue, silently asking for entrance. She obliged willingly and soon their tongues were locked in a dance, fighting for dominance over the others.

It felt like everything was slowing down and speeding up, like it was noisy and quiet, earth shattering and peaceful all at the same time.

She melted in to him and his whole body began to ignite. He was shivering, fucking shivering, under her gentle touches. He'd never felt so breakable, so fragile. He almost despaired at the thought of having to stop kissing her.

Damon crushed her closer, passion and desire beginning to cloud his judgement. He fought to clear his thoughts, needing to be certain that this wasn't going to be shrugged off, forgotten, as soon as she pulled away.

He could hear her breathy little sighs and moans and it only made him more desperate to find out what she thought this was. It was obvious she wanted him. The way she was pressing herself against him as if she couldn't get close enough confirmed this. But did she want him the same way he wanted her?

He reluctantly pulled back, breathing raggedly, before resting his forehead against hers in an effort to calm himself down. The things she did to him made him go crazy and he was struggling to find the words he needed to say to her.

"Elena?" He questioned, anxiously watching her face as he saw a silent battle play out across it. "What are we doing?"

She suddenly stiffened. Not the reaction he was hoping for. Elena sighed and shook her head slowly before backing away and fixing him with a determined and detatched expression.

He saw the walls slide shut behind her eyes, watched as she closed her feelings off to him. Silently screamed in pain as she shattered his heart with her withdrawal.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. It was a mistake, Damon. I'm with Stefan." She levelled him with a gaze almost of defiance, whilst she secretly fell apart inside.

"Who are you trying to convince?" He shook, turning his pain in to anger. "Because you and I both know that that wasn't a mistake." He stared hard in to her eyes. There was no way he was going to let her deny this any longer.

There was definitely more than friendship between them. He could feel it and he'd be damned if he stood back and watched her pretend it wasn't there.

"I can't do this, Damon. I'm not Katherine. I love Stefan, it's always going to be Stefan." She whispered the words gently but they tore violently at his heart as though she'd screamed them.

"Why are you lying about this, Elena? There is something going on between us and you know it." He walked towards her, beyond infuriated at her refusal to accept it. "You're lying to me, and you're lying to Stefan and most of all you're lying to yourself."

He put his hands on either side of her face as gently as he could. "Why won't you admit it?" He pleaded with her.

Elena pushed his hands away and stepped back. "What so you can steal me away from him? So you can use me and drop me as soon as you've had enough?" She glared at him. She knew it was a low blow but she needed him to hate her, to leave her alone so she wouldn't have to fight these feelings that had begun to consume her every thought. Why couldn't he just let it go?

"I won't do that to him. I promised we'd work through what happened and I won't betray him with you." Elena continued.

Damon took a sharp breath and his face contorted in pain and disbelief. "You honestly think I'd use you?" He shook his head, determined to make her see sense, before seeing the flicker of pain and doubt in her eyes. She looked uncertain before he saw her mask her emotions once more.

That's when he realised she was trying to push him away by hurting him.

"Elena, please don't do this." He almost begged her. He couldn't take this anymore. He knew she loved Stefan but she felt something for him too.

"I'm not doing anything, Damon." She shook her head, turning to walk out of the door, before being stopped as he flitted in front of her.

"You wanted to kiss me, Elena. It wasn't a mistake. I'm a vampire." She flinched slightly at the harshness of his words. "I can hear your heart beats skip every time I touch you. I can hear your breath catch in your throat when I come near you. I know you want me." He stared defiantly at her. He was not imagining things. This wasn't one sided. He wasn't deluded or wrong about this.

Hell, Stefan was her boyfriend but he had never seen or heard her body react to his touch, his presence, as it did whenever Damon was near her.

"I can't hurt him." She pleaded trying to back away from him.

"But you can hurt me." He stated, breaking inside. "You're more like Katherine than I thought."

She shook her head violently. "I'm making a choice. She didn't." She stubbornly refuted.

"It's the wrong one." He shouted at her. How could she not see it?

"No, it isn't." She continued to shake her head, backing away before he grabbed her and pulled her closer to him, keeping her in place with his hands on her shoulders.

"Answer me this." Damon told her fixing her with a piercing gaze. "If we weren't brothers. If we weren't vampires and you'd met him first and then met me. Would you still think the same?"

"That's a lot of 'ifs', Damon." She refused to answer his question, knowing if she told the truth he'd never let this go.

He ignored her comment. "See I think that the only reason you are doing this is because you're scared of hurting Stefan. You think he'll spend years going off the rails if you admit your true feelings. You're scared of what he might do if he finds out about us."

"There is no us." She replied vehemently.

"No. You don't want there to be an us because you're so used to doing what everyone else expects you to do that you won't let yourself admit the truth."

"There is no truth to admit." She closed her eyes attempting to forget the anguished look on his face as she broke him further.

He shook his head sadly. He needed her to see that she had options. She didn't have to go back to Stefan because that was what she thought she was supposed to do.

"I'm not asking you to jump in to bed with me. I'm not asking you to be Katherine. I'm asking you to not run away from this." He gazed at her knowing he had to tell her the truth about his feelings. Maybe then she'd stop fighting hers.

"I don't want you because you're my brother's. I did at first but then I got to know you." He sighed, struggling with admitting his feelings out loud. "You were completely different from everyone else I'd ever met. You didn't even know me, yet you cared enough to realise that I was broken. Katherine broke me, Elena, and you came along and started to fix me." He took a deep breath before continuing.

"You made me want to be better, made me want to feel. You gave me back the humanity that I'd fought for so long to shut out. And I hated you for it." She flinched at his words but he shook his head and smiled slightly.

"I didn't want to feel, Elena, I didn't want to care, because every time I had, it was thrown back at me." He winced remembering the pain he'd felt when he'd realised Katherine's betrayal. "Sometimes I wish that I had never met you, because then I could fall to sleep at night not knowing there was someone like you out there."

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Elena watched him struggling to keep himself from falling apart. Her heart was pounding furiously at his confession. He looked so broken and it killed her that it was all her fault. She wanted to take his pain away, promise him she'd never hurt him again and that she'd stay with him for the rest of her life.

But she couldn't. Stefan's name was on a constant loop in her mind, filling her with guilt and shame. How could she even consider leaving him? She was supposed to love him.

"Stefan needs me." She whispered tears beginning to escape from her eyes as she fought for control over her heart.

"I need you." He whispered back putting all his love for her, his wants, his desires, in to the three words that were so close to the ones she wasn't ready to hear him say.

"I'm sorry." She whispered brokenly.

He could feel her ending the conversation. She couldn't be with him because she loved Stefan more. He should have known he'd never be good enough for her. He should have realised that he would never be first choice no matter how much he changed.

He pulled back and nodded, defeated. He wouldn't push her anymore. He refused to be selfish with her. He would back down and stay firmly in the friends zone if that's what she wanted.

He still held on to a tiny bit of hope that one day she'd realise that just maybe she loved him too. He just prayed he'd be around to see it.

It's hard to wait around for something you know will never happen, but Damon knew it would be even harder to stop when he knew it was all he'd ever wanted.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

The tears fell silently from Elena's face. She hated herself more than she'd ever hated anything her whole life. Why couldn't it be easy? Why couldn't she just love him?

She felt him shutting her out and it broke her heart just a little more.

"I still want to be your friend, Damon. Please, don't shut me out." She couldn't stop the feeling that her whole world was falling apart. It felt like she was making the biggest mistake of her life but her head keep telling her it was the right thing to do.

"Am I supposed to smile because you are my friend or cry because that's all we'll ever be?" He replied weakly, trying to fight back the pain he felt at letting her go when she wasn't really his to let go of.

And it was those words. Those words said with such pain and longing that broke the floodgate on her hearts emotions. There was never a choice she realised. Never an option other than the one that stood right in front of her, waiting for her to pick him.

No one else made her feel the way he did. She saw his imperfections perfectly and she accepted them, accepted him, not just for who he was and what he was but for who he wanted so desperately to be.

She had convinced herself that she wanted him to change so that he could realise how much of a better man he truly was. His past did not define him and his actions in the present were the only things she judged him on.

Elena realised that she had been a monumental idiot. It was Damon. It had always been and would always be; Damon.

She didn't even register her movements before she ran, wrapping her arms around him and clinging on to him as tightly as she could. She broke down then, sobs wrenching from her body as the storm of emotions overtook her.

They collapsed to the floor, gripping on to each other as though their lives depended on it.

She didn't understand where all her emotions were coming from. Why was she falling apart like this when, only minutes ago, she'd convinced herself that she felt nothing other than friendship for him?

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Damon was stunned when she ran in to his arms. He couldn't believe he was comforting her because she was so upset over hurting him. What the hell did that even mean?

He stroked her hair trying to quell the rising hope building within him.

"Why are you crying?" He asked not really sure if he wanted to hear the answer or not. He'd snap if he had to hear one more rejection from her.

"Because it's harder than I thought it would be." She answered, her tone distraught.

Damon froze. Huh?

"I don't understand." He tilted her face up so he could look at her. He'd never seen anyone look so devestated before.

Elena knew this was it. There would be no going back from this. She had made her decision now she had to follow it through.

"I lied, Damon." She closed her eyes in regret. "You're right. There is something between us. But I don't want to hurt him. I'm scared to want you because if I let myself feel anything other than friendship for you I know that I'll never be able to go back." She took a shaky breath. She had to tell the truth. "I love Stefan but lately I've found myself falling in love...with you."

She gazed up at him as his breath caught in wonder. What had she just said? His brain was struggling to make sense of her confession but his body was already beginning to radiate joy.

She saw his mouth open in shock and confusion and began to elaborate. "I think I love you." She whispered. "Not only for who you are but for who you make me when I'm with you. You're the only person who has ever made my heart speed up and slow down at the same time. I'm scared to love you because I know that if I let myself, then there will never be anyone else."

She relaxed, relief flooding her body at her new found realisation. "You're it for me." She smiled timidly at him, terrified that he didn't really want her and his reaction to their kiss had all been an act to get her to leave Stefan for good.

Damon was grinning. He couldn't stop. He almost felt light headed as he saw the truth of her love for him in her eyes. He was dizzy with all the mixed messages he'd been recieving from her in the last 10 minutes. The girl was a whirlwind of contradictions.

10 minutes. That's all it took for her to turn his world upside down, set it on fire, douse the flames then soothe the smouldering damage she had caused.

He sobered up slightly. He needed to hear her say it properly.

"What exactly are you trying to say." He asked, afraid she'd take it all back. Turn to him and say, 'Ha ha, jokes on you'.

"I love you, Damon, and I'm choosing you." She gazed at him lovingly. She would make no more mistakes with him for the sakes of other peoples feelings again.

He smiled adoringly at her before leaning down to capture her lips with his. He kissed her gently, lovingly, slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. He pulled back to look at her realising that he actually did have forever if she'd let him.

"I've kissed a girl...hell, I've kissed girls. I'd just never felt that thing...that thing, that moment when you just kiss someone and everything around you becomes hazy, and the only thing in focus is you and that person." He closed his eyes briefly before continuing. "And you realise that that person is the only person you're supposed to kiss for the rest of your life. And for one moment you get this amazing gift, and you wanna laugh and you wanna cry because you feel so lucky that you've found it, that you've found her, and so scared that it'll go away all at the same time." He smiled back at her.

"That's the feeling I get whenever I'm with you. It doesn't matter what we're doing, what we're saying, where we are, it's constantly there every time I'm around you. You are nothing short of my everything."

"And I can say nothing more because there is nothing more to say that would describe how I feel about you as perfectly as you deserve it. I love you, Elena, and you are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down to her lips, trying to convey how much his words meant to her. How much he meant to her.

She couldn't believe how easy it was to just be with him now she'd finally admitted her feelings. It was like it was supposed to be this way. She knew it sounded cheesy but it was as if she'd truly found her other half, her missing piece and she never wanted to lose this feeling she had whenever he looked at her like she was his world.

Because he was her world too. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

They pulled back at the same time resting their foreheads against each other.

"What now?" She whispered breathlessly.

"Well, I don't know about you but I seriously need a shower." He looked down at himself and grimaced.

Elena started laughing as she looked at them both and scanned the disaster that was currently the kitchen.

"I think we need to clean this mess up first." She gestured around them.

"It can wait. Besides, I've got a better idea." He smirked devilishly.

"Oh, yeah? And what might that be?" Elena asked suddenly growing very hot as the atmosphere in the room changed.

"Well, I was thinking we could shower then maybe go and test the bed for any loose springs." He wiggled his brows.

"We?" She raised her eyebrows quizzically.

"I swear I'll behave in the shower." He said innocently. "Although I can't promise anything once we get back in to the bedroom." He smirked before kissing her hungrily conveying his meaning clearly.

"Damon, maybe we should...wait..." She moaned softly in to his mouth as he continued to kiss her senseless. She tilted her head back a he trailed soft kisses down her neck.

"Are you sure?" He questioned, bringing his mouth up to her ear and nibbling slightly.

"Uhhh..." She gasped not entirely sure what they were talking about.

Damon used her indecision to his advantage, standing up with her and wrapping her legs around his waist. He didn't know if he could stand to have the shower first, knowing he'd promised to behave.

He wanted to make love to her in his bed. He wanted to take his time and worship her. The shower just didn't seem like the proper place for their first time.

He ran them up the stairs and in to his bathroom, closing the door behind them and turning on the shower.

They were still locked in a heated kiss and Damon knew he needed to slow them down or they'd be rolling around on the bathroom floor, and, as much as the thought amused him, it wasn't the most romantic of settings to show her how much he loved her.

"Lena, sweetheart." He murmured between kisses, "This isn't going to help me keep my promise in the shower."

"So don't." She replied, capturing his bottom lip with her teeth and sucking gently. She started to kiss up and down his neck and under his chin, nibbling at his colar bone and eliciting soft hisses from his mouth.

Damon stifled a moan. Who knew she'd be such a temptress? She matched him in every possible way and he was completely floored to realise she wasn't as innocent as he'd thought she'd be.

His argument against taking her up against the shower wall was sounding weaker and weaker as he ran it through his mind. But he was stubborn and he wanted to do this properly.

He was over 160 years old for christ sake! He was nothing if not patient, but she was seriously testing his control and weakening his resolve.

Her hands started roaming up and down his chest and arms, causing goosebumps to erupt over every inch she caressed. He was shivering in desire for her as she grabbed him roughly by his hair and pulled him down to her lips again.

God damn this girl was incredible. He was almost giddy in the knowledge that she was finally his.

And he'd be damned if he would ever let her go.


	17. The Bonds of Protection

Damon was struggling to catch his breath, an impressive feat considering he didn't even need to breathe. He cupped Elena's face deepening the kiss, delighting in the moans he was drawing from her lips.

He pushed her backwards towards the wall, smirking as he smelt her arousal for him growing stronger. He pulled back from her lips, slowly kissing a trail along her jaw and down her neck.

He felt her throw her head back as her heartbeat and breathing grew more erratic, feeling supremely smug that he affected her just as much as she affected him.

Damon reluctantly reined in his desires deciding that he was going to get a little revenge on her for the torture she'd put him through for the last couple of months. Every touch, every look, every smile she had given him, had drove him to the brink of insanity. He needed her to feel what he felt, even if, unlike him, she knew that he loved her back just as much as she loved him.

"As much as I would really love to continue this right now, we need to slow down." He said, reluctantly pulling away. He watched her face contort with frustration and desire before her lips formed the most adorable pout he had ever laid eyes on.

She looked him over as if debating the best way to persuade him to change his mind. He watched her attempt to control herself before she nodded slightly and began to undress.

He caught his breath and silently fought to control himself, the desire to grab her and throw her against the wall again, all of a sudden becoming overwhelming in its intensity. He clenched his fists from the effort of holding himself together and almost groaned aloud as she finished stripping down to her underwear.

"What?" She asked smirking. "I'm just doing what you asked." She turned away from him and stepped towards the shower, turning the hot water on and smiling back at him innocently.

Who the hell was this girl?

Damon had never had his control tested so much in his entire existence. He prided himself on his ability to keep himself in check when seducing women. He was a man, not some teenager whose hormones were raging. How had she managed to flip the tables so completely?

He felt nervous and edgy and completely out of his depth. And he didn't do nervous and edgy and out of depth. Especially when it came to women.

Then again Elena wasn't like other women. Elena was in a whole other league of her own and Damon couldn't believe his luck in getting this goddess.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts before stripping his clothes off and smirking as her eyes widened and her pupils dilated with lust. She might know just what to do to drive him insane with want, but Damon was not going to give in. Two could play at this game and there would only ever be one winner. Him.

He sauntered towards her casually. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with fire?" He smiled at her and gently brushed his hands down her sides to grip her waist, smirking inwardly as she gasped and shuddered slightly.

"I'm not a very good listener." She breathed, stepping away from him and into the spray of water from the shower head. She once again turned her back on him, reaching for the shampoo and pouring it in to her hands. "I thought we were having a shower?" She smiled and raised her eyebrows at him.

He shook his head and followed her into the water. He reached his hands out intending to grab her again before she darted away and went behind him. He started to turn back to her, intending to catch her once more, before he felt her hands gently begin massaging the shampoo in to his hair and lost his train of thought completely.

The sensations she was creating with her fingertips almost made his toes curl and he couldn't help the warm feeling of comfort from spreading throughout his entire body. She was taking care of him and he'd never felt more at home than right here with her.

She spent the next 10 minutes massaging every single part of him, cleaning him up and washing away the food from their earlier fight. He had no idea how she could make him aroused to the point of pain before causing him to do a complete 180 and simply making him feel loved and cared for.

There was no lust in her actions, it was love. She was gentle and unrushed in her ministrations, relaxing him with her touch.

When she'd finished he gave her the same treatment, delighting in the smoothness of her skin and the way the small droplets of water cascaded down her body.

Watching this he suddenly became aroused once again. He needed her and there was no way he could hold back any longer. She looked at him and he could see his thoughts mirrored in her eyes too.

They exited the shower and dried themselves off. He felt her beginning to become self conscious and nervous as the reality of their feelings for each other finally sunk in.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him looking in to her eyes before he spoke. "I love you, Elena. So much that sometimes I feel as if I'll explode if I don't touch you. I've never felt this way about anyone and I want you so much it's almost painful." He stopped to take a breath. He had to make sure she wanted this one last time. He didn't think he'd be able to deal with the pain if she rejected him now, but if they did this and she later regretted it he knew he would not survive.

"You have to be sure about this because if we do this, there's no going back. If this happens and you regret it tomorrow...I can't...I won't..." He swallowed struggling to contain his emotions. "I will never be able to go back to being your friend. I wouldn't survive it if I had you, then lost you again." He looked down, holding his breath and waiting for her to realise this wasn't what she really wanted. After all, he had never been anyones first choice and it was too much to hope for that he would be hers.

Because seriously, after all this time, he truly couldn't believe that anything in his life could feel this good and this perfect, and that he'd actually get to keep this feeling forever.

He felt her hand reach up to stroke the side of his face and leaned in to her warmth, his skin tingling at her touch. She waited silently until he lifted his head up and looked her in the eyes. His stomach erupted with happiness as he read the emotion radiating from her from her dark chocolate orbs.

"I know you've been hurt, but I want this, Damon. I've never been more sure of anything and I would never regret this. I love you. Not just for today, not just for tonight, but if you let me, I plan on loving you for the rest of my life, whether that's 80 years or eternity."

He swore that just for a second the entire world fell silent around them. He'd waited his whole life for someone to look at him the way she was looking at him right now. Elena looked at him as if he was everything to her, as if he was magnificent, as if...as if he was her reason.

He smiled at her, genuinely smiled, as his whole world became brighter with the meaning behind her words. He was loved. She wasn't lying to him, she wouldn't leave him, wouldn't play him off against his brother. She just loved him. Him.

He softly cupped her face with his hand and brought her lips to his, kissing her with all the love he felt for her. He'd never felt happier than this moment as he backed her slowly towards the bed and they fell on to it together.

Damon slowly ran his hands up and down her sides, their kisses becoming more passionate and frantic. He was on fire as she ran her hands along his back, moaning his name in pleasure.

He quickly undid her bra and threw it behind him, pulling back to admire her. "You are so beautiful." He whispered. She blushed and brought his lips back down to hers, arching her chest up on to him.

He moaned and trailed his hand down to her knickers, ripping them off accidentally as she bit down playfully on his bottom lip. "Jesus, Elena." He groaned, pulling off his boxers and tossing them carelessly behind him.

She giggled slightly before reaching down between them and gently squeezing him, slowly stroking up and down his length. Damon growled and ducked his head down towards her neck as her hot little hands worked him in to a frenzy.

He could felt his stomach tightening as he got close to his release. He kissed her roughly, pulling her hand away from him and positioning himself above her entrance. He needed to be inside her now. Damon pulled back and reached for her hands, entwining them together with his.

They gazed at each other as he thrust gently in to her, allowing her to adjust to him, before slowly pulling out of her again then thrusting back in. It was the most intense moment of his entire existence as he made love to her. He kept the pace agonizingly slow, riding the waves of building pleasure as he felt her warm heat surround him.

They fit together so perfectly, in every way, as if they had truly been made for each other. The thought made Damon's undead heart swell with overwhelming joy.

He couldn't describe this feeling as he watched her face contort in pleasure. He could feel himself near the edge and began to quicken his pace as Elena's moans became louder. She scratched at his back, desperately begging him to go faster.

She pushed him on to his back and sat up, riding him as fast as she could. His eyes rolled back in pleasure and he groaned her name repeatedly, lost in the sensations of intense pleasure, coursing through his body. He flipped them over and raised their hands, still entwined, above her head, kissing her slowly, lovingly.

He continued to thrust in to her faster as she all but screamed his name in ecstasy, tumbling over the edge and in to her first orgasm. He followed her in bliss, moaning her name and whispering how much he loved her in to her ear.

He continued thrusting as they rode out there highs before collapsing breathlessly on to her chest. She stroked his hair softly as he listened to her heart rate beating frantically. They lay wrapped in each others embraces, exhausted from the intensity of their emotions, their breathing slowly relaxing back in to a steady rhythm.

An idea suddenly formed in Damon's mind. Something he'd heard of decades ago but had scoffed at at the time. He wanted her as his ,in every way possible, and this would ensure he'd never lose her again.

"Elena?" He asked, uncertain as to whether to broach the subject now or bring it up later.

"Yes?" She replied questioning.

"I want to try something." He began, almost nervously. "But I don't want you to feel like you have to do this." He wouldn't pressure her.

"Anything." She said, gazing in to his eyes and smiling warmly.

"It's called a blood bond." He explained, searching her face for her reaction. "It heightens everything; feelings, sight, sound, taste, hearing. It also ties us together. We'll feel each others emotions and, if we want to, we'll be able to hear each others thoughts aswell. It's rare, but I'd like to try it as long as you're willing." He watched her as she thought it through.

"Okay." She nodded, pulling away from him slightly to sit up.

"It can't be undone." He clarified, wanting to make sure she really wanted this. "It's almost like a belonging thing for a vampire. It tells others that you're mine and I'm yours. We'll both feel more intensely towards each other. Love, pleasure, lust. Hate, pain, jealousy. Good and bad." He continued.

"I am yours, Damon. I want to do this." She smiled encouragingly at him and took his hand, kissing his palm. "Besides, I want everyone to know that you are mine." He smiled inwardly at her possessiveness. A jealous Elena Gilbert was something he was secretly looking forward to seeing. Especially if she was jealous over him.

"Relax." He told her, leaning towards her and kissing her slowly. "You'll enjoy this, trust me."

He pushed her on to her back and slowly began kissing his way down her neck, nibbling slightly and enjoying her sharp intake of breath at the sensations he was arousing in her.

He pulled back and she wined in annoyance. He chuckled at her impatience then bit down in to his wrist and held it out to her. "Last chance to back out."

She met his gaze straight on, before slowly lowering her mouth to his wrist and licking up a small trickle of blood, fastening her mouth around the wound and sucking gently.

Damon had never seen anything more erotic than the sight of Elena willingly drinking from him. He hissed in pleasure as she drew the blood from his body. Pushing her in to the mattress he bent over her neck, kissing her softly for a moment before letting his fangs descend and piercing her skin.

Colours erupted behind his eyelids as he drank her in, becoming lost in her delicious taste. It was indescribable and intoxicating. The best thing he'd ever tasted. The scent of her blood enveloped his senses and sent shocks of pleasure up and down his spine. She was incredible.

He felt her heart rate slow slightly and pulled back from her, licking his lips. Her skin was flushed and she was breathing heavily as she detached her mouth from his wrist.

"Wow." She gasped, her eyes darting around the room as her senses began to become heightened.

"I'll say." Damon chuckled, smirking at her reaction. "How do you feel?" He asked watching as an expression of awe crossed her face.

"Amazing. There's so many colours and I think...I think I can hear the animals in the woods." She giggled and Damon thought she looked just like a child on Christmas morning.

"You'll feel like that for a few days then it'll start to fade, unless we exchange again." He explained. "The mind reading and emotions come after we've exchanged blood a couple of times, but they last even if we don't do it regularly." He smiled as she continued to giggle, lost in her new found abilities.

Damon lay back down and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist as she snuggled in to his chest. Elena planted a kiss a the base of his neck and pulled back to look at him.

"I love you." She whispered.

"As I love you." Damon replied, placing a chaste kiss to her temple. "Sleep now, I plan to spend all day tomorrow tiring you out. You'll need your energy." He smirked down at her, wiggling his eyebrows seductively.

Elena laughed and curled in to him further. "Promise?" She asked.

Damon chuckled and nodded. "I definitely promise."

"Good." She smiled. "Goodnight, Damon." She closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.

"Night, 'Lena." He whispered, following her in to sleep. He would always follow her.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Stefan and Bonnie had just landed, Bonnie having done a tracking spell and discovering that Damon had taken Elena to Italy. Stefan assured her that he could track them once they were on the ground.

Bonnie was nervous about what would happen once they did manage to find them. She didn't trust Stefan to keep his word and feared her friend may get hurt if she tried to get in the way.

She hadn't told Stefan but she had secretly re-done the spell she'd used to get in to Elena's mind twice, and she knew Stefan would not be happy if he knew about the recent developments between Elena and his brother.

Hell, at first, she had been frankly disgusted by it. Elena loving Stefan was one thing, but Damon? She couldn't believe Elena could even like him after all the evil he'd inflicted on their town.

But even though she couldn't begin to comprehend her friends decision, there was no denying the emotions she'd seen in her eyes. Bonnie had thought that when Elena had looked at Stefan, it was the look of two people completely and utterly in love. God, how wrong she had been.

Seeing Elena and Damon look at each other had sent what she'd thought she'd known for certain, flying out of the window. They'd gazed at each other so intensly, so passionately, as if consumed by one another.

She'd seen it when Elena had first admitted to Damon that she loved him, after, she assumed, what had been the aftermath of their food fight. They were wrapped in each others embraces, as if being separated from each other would physically kill them.

And it had all fallen in to place as Bonnie had watched it, like a veil had been lifted and she'd suddenly seen everything with perfect clarity. It was like they just fit. Like it was always meant to be Damon and Elena. They had looked so right together, so beautiful, that Bonnie could not hold Elena's choice against her.

She completely got it. Damon was Elena's soul mate in the strongest sense of the word. She'd never seen that with her and Stefan. Sure she could tell they loved each other but Stefan and Elena's love paled in comparison to what she'd seen in the kitchen.

The second time she'd entered Elena's mind she was thankful that she hadn't entered sooner. It was clear looking at them in bed together what had just happened.

What sealed Bonnie's opinion on them, and what ultimately led to her making the decision to also protect Damon from whatever Stefan was planning, was the way Elena had looked when she'd agreed to form a blood bond with Damon.

She'd read about blood bond's in her ancestor's grimoire. One of her ancestors had been in love with a vampire and had formed one herself. It was the ultimate act of vampire devotion and love. No spell could break it and no person could come between it. Not even death could separate it.

Elena had been completely trusting and so heart warmingly sure of her love for him that she had agreed, without hesitation, to form one with him. What surprised her further was the fact Damon had explained it clearly to her, hadn't pressured her and had even asked her if she was sure several times before he had proceeded with it.

Damon, did not, as Stefan believed, want to have her to get back at Stefan for Katherine. No, Bonnie could see it in his eyes. Damon loved Elena. Really loved her, and if Elena had given him her love in return, then that was good enough for Bonnie.

She would not hurt him because she could never hurt her friend by taking him away from her. She had a feeling that if she killed Damon, Elena would die too. Maybe not literally, but she would never truly live again.

Stefan and Bonnie had been driving for hours. Stefan had called a couple of 'contacts' and had found out where they were staying. They were just heading to a hotel a few miles away, Bonnie having pursuaded Stefan to wait until morning before confronting them.

He had reluctantly agreed only when she had pointed out that Bonnie trying to get Elena away in the dark, was going to be extremely difficult for her, because she wouldn't be able to actually see. It would be dangerous and Stefan had agreed that the less risks they took the better.

She had resolved to put a charm on their hotel, secretly, to make sure he couldn't leave in the middle of the night without telling her. If he found out before she had the chance to take it off in the morning, she'd just have to make something up and hope he believed her.

She'd been practising a lot lately and she was pretty confident she could take Stefan, and anyone else who threatened Elena or Damon, down easily if it came to it. Damon was part of Elena now and she would protect any part of Elena with her life, even if she didn't necessarily agree with it.

Bonnie closed her eyes and felt sleep envelop her. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. She just hoped they'd all make it to see the end of it.


	18. Finding Out

Damon woke up slowly, his mind a fuzzy haze as he struggled to remember what had happened the night before. It hit him suddenly with the force of a freight train. He looked to the side and realized that the brunette girl he'd thought he'd fallen to sleep with was not by his side.

He felt the beginnings of pain claw at his heart. Damn, dreams. Even when he slept he could never be rid of the torturous thoughts that plagued his mind. It had seemed so real, so beautiful, so...right. But of course it was a dream. Since when had he ever been first choice for anyone. He'd never wake up to her sleeping peacefully next to him. He'd never know what it felt like to be loved by her.

He sighed, sitting up and resigning himself to another day of self torture, pining after a girl he could never have, when he smelt her all over his room. He threw his head back and groaned. Great, as if he didn't have enough things to worry about, now he had to add his growing insanity to the list. He had to hand it to his imagination though. The smell of her all around him was so convincing he expected her to materialize out of thin air.

He shook his head, determined to clear his mind, but the smell of her just wouldn't go away. He growled in frustration then stiffened suddenly as he registered another smell. Was that...coffee? He strained his ears listening to the noises from downstairs.

He heard her then, humming a song he didn't recognize as she climbed the stairs. That's when it hit him, last night was real. It wasn't a dream. He almost collapsed back on to the bed from the weight of the emotions rushing through him.

Elena loved him. She'd told him, shown him last night and here he was thinking it had all been some wonderful fantasy sent to torture him.

His mouth dropped open in shock as he realized the gravity of the situation. Was he with her now? Were they together? I mean, they'd confessed their feelings to one another. They'd even shared a blood bond for Christ's sake and he knew that they could never be broken. Literally.

That thought almost had him doing cartwheels around the room. They were bonded now, tied together in the most intimate and lasting of acts between a vampire and a human.

Damon quickly pulled himself from his turbulent thoughts and focused on the doorway, composing his face in to a warm smile as he watched her shyly enter the room with a cup of coffee and another cup in which he thought he smelled blood. Again his heart leaped at her caring nature. She was his own personal miracle.

"Hi." She smiled timidly, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She was wearing his shirt and only his shirt by the looks of things. He'd never seen anyone look so sexy before in his whole existence. Her hair was a mess, no doubt from their lovemaking the night before, her lips were swollen from his kisses and her eyes were bright and warm. He could get used to seeing her like this.

He cleared his throat and replied. "Hi, back." She smiled at his familiar greeting before visibly relaxing and crossing the few feet of floor space left between them, handing him his cup and hopping in to bed next to him. Yep, he could definitely get used to this.

Damon sat up against the head board muttering a thank you before gulping down the cup of blood. She'd warmed it up for him and he was touched by her gesture. He watched her take a drink from her cup before she placed it on the bedside table and turned towards him, lowering her head on to his chest and snuggling in to his side.

Elena sighed in content and tilted her head up to his face, looking in to his eyes. She pushed herself up slightly and gently kissed under his jaw causing a small shudder of pleasure to ripple through his body.

"I love you." Elena said, continuing to place small kisses along his jaw and neck.

Damon briefly wondered whether a person could literally die of happiness because he felt about ready to explode with joy at the meaning behind her words.

"I love you, too." He replied kissing the top of her head and smiling brightly. He exhaled softly, he needed to know what this new development meant for them. "So, where does this leave us?" He asked tensed slightly, unsure and nervous. Did she love him enough to want to be with him?

"Well," Elena replied thoughtfully, choosing her next words carefully, "I know we kinda skipped the whole dating part," She laughed and blushed while he chuckled quietly, "But I want there to be an us." She said softly.

Damon relaxed in relief. "So, am I like your boyfriend now?" He wrinkled his nose in mock disgust at the word whilst she rolled her eyes.

"If you want to be." She replied, smiling as she watched his eyes light up with amusement and happiness.

"Guess I'll have to change my Facebook status to 'in a relationship' now. Girls all around the world are going to be devastated, they'll be crying themselves to sleep tonight." He laughed as she pouted in annoyance.

She smacked him playfully and before she could draw her hand back he grabbed it and entwined their hands, slowly rubbing soothing circles along the back of hers with his thumb.

"Just kidding." He smiled at her, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and gently cupping her face with his free hand. She leaned in to his touch, closing her eyes and smiling slightly. "So, girlfriend." He smirked. "What's the plan for today?"

"Well, I believe you promised me last night that you'd tire me out today." She smirked up at him, lust beginning to cloud her eyes. "I was wondering how exactly you planned on doing that."

"Were you now." He raised his eyebrows as she sat up and moved to straddle him, releasing his hand and bringing both her hands up to rest on his chest.

"Umhmm." She nodded and slowly began running her hands along his chest, giggling softly as she felt his arousal stand to attention. She playfully rotated her hips, smirking at him as she heard him groan in pleasure.

"How I ever thought you were innocent I have no idea." His eyes rolled back slightly as she began to press in to him harder, rotating her hips agonizingly slowly. He gripped her hips and fought back the urge to throw her on to her back.

Elena leaned forwards and grazed her teeth along his ear causing him to buck up slightly and hiss. "Oh, you have no idea how wrong you were." She whispered. He'd never heard her voice sound so seductive. He was painfully hard at her forwardness. He was the one who was normally in control but he wouldn't mind relinquishing it if she was the one in charge.

"Why don't you show me." He invited, thrusting his hips up and smirking as she gasped in pleasure.

"I intend to." She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his lips to hers in a breathtaking kiss. Her lips were soft and warm, moulding themselves against his. She bit his bottom lip and swept her tongue against his mouth as he groaned. He granted her entrance eagerly and their kissing became frantic with desire and need.

Damon ripped his top off of her, glad that she had worn nothing underneath. She lifted herself off of him briefly so he could kick the sheets covering him away from them.

He gazed up at her, marveling at the fact that this phenomenal woman was finally his. She was so perfect for him and he was in awe realizing that he would always get to wake up to her, to this. This feeling of total completeness. The feeling of finally being home.

= X*X=X*X=X*X =

Stefan and Bonnie had had breakfast at the hotel before setting off towards Damon and Elena. He'd brought along blood bags, human blood bags, which he'd hidden from Bonnie.

He'd told her he was back on the animal diet but he knew he'd have to keep drinking the human stuff if he were to have any chance of taking on his brother.

Stefan was nervous and on edge. He told himself that once he found Elena everything would be okay. He'd go back to animal blood and they'd go back to the way they were before his...slip. Once Damon was out of the way they could finally be together with nothing to get between them again.

Bonnie was quiet in the passenger seat. She hadn't looked in to Elena's mind since she'd witnessed their blood bond. She hadn't needed to. She'd made her decision last night. She would make sure this confrontation went off without blood shed.

The drive to Damon's house took just under half an hour. It was the longest half hour of Stefan's existence. He couldn't stand the thought of Elena having been alone with Damon for the last 3 days. If he'd so much as touched her...he shut his thoughts down and focused on the present, refusing to even contemplate the things his brother might have done to her.

Stefan got out of the car quietly, motioning for Bonnie to get behind him as he walked up to the house. Bonnie rolled her eyes in annoyance behind his back. She had more power in her little finger than he did in his entire being. If anyone should be stood behind anyone, it was him.

Stefan extended his hearing, listening intently to the noises from inside the house. It was quiet. He assumed they'd be asleep and sniffed the air attempting to pinpoint Elena's scent. If he could get to her bedroom, get her up and out of the house without waking Damon, then she'd be safe. He located her bedroom and jumped up to her window, mouthing a quick 'I'll meet you inside' to Bonnie and watching as she opened the door and proceeded silently in to the house.

He focused his attention back on to the window and carefully broke the lock, sliding it up and climbing through. His gaze found the bed and he was momentarily confused as he saw it empty. He assumed she'd gotten up to go to the bathroom and proceeded towards the door as quietly as possible, listening for her heartbeat.

He soon found it and worry consumed him as he noticed its frantic rhythm. What had her so worked up?

That's when he heard them. His fists clenched as he made his way to what he instantly dreaded was Damon's bedroom. He could hear moans and quiet whispering on the other side of the door and he prayed he was mistaken. This had to be a dream, a nightmare. She would never do that to him. Unless...

She was compelled. Bonnie had messed the spell up. He sighed in relief before fury overtook his body causing him to shake with barely restrained rage. He was going to kill him.

Stefan sensed Bonnie come up behind him and glanced back. Her jaw was set and she had a look of blazing determination in her eyes. He wondered if she could hear what was going on behind the door.

He shook his head and forced himself to remain calm. It wasn't Elena's fault. No matter what scene he was greeted with on the other side of this door, Damon was to blame for it.

He gripped the door handle and turned it quietly before flinging it open with a little more force than necessary...


End file.
